South Pole
by chittychittybangbang16
Summary: Dick and Kory are complete opposites. He's going places, and she's not. He has to give up everything for her. Will love ruin everything for both of them? Business and Pleasure shouldn't cross & Opposites don't always attract.
1. The Big Easy

I know I'm writing another story but I couldn't help myself, don't worry the other story isn't done. I thought of this a few months ago, but now I'm getting it posted.

Disclaimer- Yeah don't own teen Titans

-"This part of my life is called 'internship'." The Pursuit of Happyness,2006-

Richard Grayson sat int the back of his cushy limousine, flicking his engraved Zippo on and off. The light flickered in front of his icy blue eyes. He had quit smoking six months ago, but the temptations were very powerful theses days. Suddenly the limo came to a screeching halt. The driver explained that they had entered traffic zone, while Dick swore under his breath.

Why this morning of all mornings?

For the past two years Dick was breaking his back trying to win a competitive internship at Wayne Enterprises. He'd beat out eighteen other guys, and now in his last nine months to impress President Bruce Wayne, it was down to him or another hopeful of the name Roy Harper. And damn he wanted to win. This particular morning was a presentation, crucial to the final decision. Then Dick's cell phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Where are you Dick, the presentation is in twenty minutes?" came the voice of his pushy, assistant manager Raven.

Dick ran his hands through his jet black hair. "Traffic." he mumbled irritably. He heard Raven groan loudly.

"Damn it, Dick, didn't I tell you take the metro this morning?" she said, along side the sound of papers shuffling. Dick could tell that Raven was frustrated, so he was glad he wasn't in the room with her at that moment.

"The tunnels are fucked up, because of the floods-"

"Well, the streets aren't much better!" she said loud enough to make Dick jump a little. Dick sighed again. after all this shit he'd been putting up with for the past two years, this job had better be worth it. Raven sighed again, "Roy just got here."

Just hearing the name Roy Harper, made Dick's teeth bare. Since before he could remember all he wanted to do was be the Director of media and franchise at Wayne Enterprises, and now was his chance, and he wasn't going to let some hot shot, kiss ass like Roy Harper take everything he had been working for since high school, go to hell.

"I'm on my way." Dick said before closing his phone. He grabbed his brief case and jumped out of the limo. Ahead he could see the long crowd, of cars and cabs sitting in the street. He looked at his watch again. The meeting was in twenty minutes and he seven blocks away. Dick took a deep breath, and ran. The streets were more crowded than usual, he ignored the smog and irritating sound of cars honking. He squeezed between people, a ducked under construction sights.

Rounding the corner, his cell phone vibrated again, reluctantly he reached in his pocket and grabbed it without stopping. "Hello?" he said breathlessly.

"Dick, Bruce just came in." Raven said

Dick was hoping it wasn't Raven to badger him about getting there on time, and two why was Bruce there so early? Dick ran down another street corner. " Really..how ..long..ago...was he?" Dick could see the building, it was in his sight. 

"What's wrong, you sound out of breath. Raven said pushing her hair out of her face.

"Running...almost there...see you...in... a minute." Dick said hanging up the phone. He burst through the doors of the sky scraper that was Wayne Enterprises. No one noticed him because it was very busy and crowded. He swooped over to the elevators, just in time to miss it. "Shit." he muttered. He jabbed the up button, and waited very impatiently, finally a door slid open. Dick quickly hopped in and hit the close door button, before the eighth floor. Sure it was pretty selfish, but they didn't call it a _competitive_ internship for nothing. Dick impatiently tapped his foot, when finally the elevator hit the eighth with a ding. The first thing Dick saw when he got off the elevator was the face of his dark haired, violet eyed manager Raven holding a new jacket.

She thrust it in front of his face. "What's this for?" Dick asked moving towards the doors were the conference was being held. Raven took his brief case and hold a manila folder.

"In case you were all sweaty from running." she said. Dick took off his jacket and threw it on Raven's desk." Thanks." she said sarcastically. "Alright remember the three main points of sponsorship are-"

"I know Rae, we went over it last night and you called me three times before breakfast this morning." he said preparing to go to the conference. It didn't start for five minutes but Dick felt really late as it was. He slowly reached his hand out, hoping for some sort of distraction.

"Dick?" Raven said

"Yes?" he answered quickly taking his hand off the door knob. He turned his head around and Raven sprayed breath mint into his mouth.

"Good luck." she said with a smirk. Dick rolled his eyes and pushed the doors open to find absolutely no one in there. "What the hell is going on?" he said turning back to Raven.

"Yeah I lied, the meeting isn't for another half in hour." she said nonchalantly. "I lied, because who else was I going to get you here on time, and I knew all that bull about Bruce and Roy would drive you fucking nuts, and you'd get your ass here earlier." Dick stared at her in utter disbelief, but then again nothing Raven did should surprise him. She wanted him to get this job, just as much as he did. If he got a raise, she got a raise. Before this internship Richard was just graduating and didn't know how to get ahead in life. Raven was a student and way too advance for where she was. This internship changed both of their lives. Some time for better others, for worse.

Raven sat at her desk and started typing on her computer. Dick leaned in the doorway. "So..." he said making attempts at small talk. "How's Malcolm." he said referring to Raven's boyfriend.

"We broke up two months ago." she said not stopping to look at him. Raven had been with Malcolm for five years, they lived to together and lived a good life, but then he moved back to England, Raven was very heart broken at first and still was today but hid it under work and never let herself seem vulnerable.

"Then why are you still where wearing that ring?" Dick said. It was not that he didn't care about Raven, she was one the only friends he had right now. He did care about her and wanted her to get over Malcolm and get on with her life, besides Malcolm was a jerk anyways.

Raven stopped typing, and her gaze turned to the silver ring with the small princess cut diamond in the center. She stared at it for a moment, then pulled it off her finger. She opened a draw on her desk and threw the ring in, and slammed the draw shut. "Happy now?" she said in the up most of sarcasm.

Dick said nothing. She shook her head and turned back to the computer. "You want to talk about it?" he said. she didn't acknowledge the question. Raven had been avoiding emotion her whole life, especially when she was hurt. "Rae, when are you going to be ready-"

"To what?" she interrupted. " Ready to except the fact it's over or accept that fact that I wasted five fucking years with him." she stopped typing and shot Dick a glare so heavy it could kill a man. "I'll have you know I've far than accepted the fact he lied to me, and he'll lie to some other poor impressionable, naive girl and propose to her, but ...it won't be me, not again." her eyes now looked sad.

"Raven, you don't have to feel guilty." Dick said softly

"I...I just wish he'd come back... and take his shit out of my house." she said. She looked up and gave Dick a gentle smirk, which was rare for her. "Anyways enough about me, let's talk conference."

"I need to bounce back, I know that Roy had preplanned the Elio Manning fund to sponsor him, which is sneaky and underhanded on his part since he knew I was going to get the Manning fund. Which I'm sure impressed Bruce more than Gianie Valtorie, which was the best I could come up with last minute. This time I'm going to get someone big, someone with a lot of money, hard to get, someone elite." he said as if this was his master plan.

Raven leaned in to him. "Dick, you want to know a secret?" Dick looked around to see if anyone was around, then shook is head. "I happen to know that Bruce isn't swept off his feet by big corporate giants." she whispered

"He's not?"

"Of, course not." Raven said sitting back in her chair. "I mean... why would he? They're after the same thing his is, they're his competition. What Bruce wants is someone small to represent under Wayne Enterprises, someone who is up and coming, that way they are no where near as close to successful as he is, and Wayne Enterprises started as a small business, and now it's a very large business based on other small businesses."

Dick stared at her confused. He sat back sighed, and ran his fingers through his jet black hair. "So... what you're saying is that instead of trying to get big investors and companies we should... hire smaller less know ones?" he said slowly

Raven nodded her head "Exactly." Then Bruce Wayne, his entourage, and Roy with his ever obnoxious manager Garth. Raven and Dick quickly stood up.

"Good morning Richard." Bruce said pleasantly "Raven." he said nodding in her direction. Bruce then waltzed to the doors of the conference hall, and gently pushed open the doors. Everyone flooded in for the meeting, ready to take on whatever challenge lay ahead. They had no idea.

The meeting was like it always was long, and unbearable dull. Yet the interns and their managers furiously scribbled down notes about the slightest thing of importance. Bruce went over, yet again, the finer points of what Wayne Enterprises was looking for in investments and companies to represent. Good qualities, honest business, and no criminal records. Bruce was a 'goody two shoes' about Wayne Enterprises, like it were some kind of family thing. Finally after two hours of diagrams, charts, and debate the meeting was coming to a close and Bruce was making is point, directed at the interns.

"Now, this is were you guys come in." he said looking Dick to Roy. "As you both know all to well, we are always looking for honest companies to come to us for to represent, but also we jet set to World Corporation meetings, at the drop of a hat. So with that I will request that you two come and assist me to the next Burma tomorrow for the conference in three days."

Roy's mouth dropped open, as Dick dropped his pen. Going to Burma on such short notice? Raven seemed not in surprised. Raven always came to the office two hours early and stayed two hours late, so naturally she knew a lot about Bruce's ways. She was good at keeping her composure. Garth had the hungry look of competition in his eyes.

"But," Bruce continued "business never stops, whether your here for it or not. I want you to get a company for Wayne Enterprises to represent_, and_ a sponsor to invest in that company. You must have the company and the sponsor by our next meeting in two weeks. Alright, see you on Sunday." he said with a sly smile.

The room cleared out. Dick stood up and leaned in towards Raven so that Roy couldn't hear, them as they walked back to her office. "What do we do? If I'm in, India, how am I going to find a company in New York?" he whispered

"Relax Dick, that's why you have me for."' she said furiously typing into her computer. "You go to Burma and I'll find someone. I'll do interviews myself, I'll e-mail you the status on the hopefuls, give you my opinion, and you pick your favorite. I'll find the perfect investors for you, then when you get back we'll sign the contract."

"OK, great plan." he said impressed "Now I need tickets to Burma."

"Done." Raven said pulling paper out of the printer. "First class to Phoenix tomorrow at seven Am sharp, then at ten that same night there will be another plane that will take you to Burma."

"What would I do without you?" Dick said taking the flight information.

"Absolutely nothing. And I reserved the rest of the seats so that Roy can't get on a plane to Burma unless he takes the flight to Dallas, which isn't until Saturday so he'll be a little late." she said smirking. Dick was amazed at Raven's diabolical thinking. She always had the best ways to screw over Roy." Well, go get some rest, and pack." Dick rubbed his eyes with his pointer finger and thumb.

"This is so exhausting. Sometimes I want ti just give up. But I was never happy being just ordinary. I could never get ordinary grades or play ordinary sports. I wouldn't be happy with an average mans' job making a average mans' salary. I want something most people couldn't even dream about, something far beyond my reach. I knew it would be tough but this is fucking insane. I haven't taken a day off in two years. This internship pays very well. Better than most jobs. Ten grand a day is more than generous, four of which I give to you."

"Dick, you are damn fortunate to get a paid internship at Wayne Enterprises. You are twenty-five and already making over three hundred thirty thousand a year, that's more than most people make in two years." Raven rolled her eyes and continues typing. "OK let's talk money. If you become the director of media and franchise you'd being making over... eleven million a year. Wow, money really is the most tempting lust of the world. Compared to money, sex and drugs are nothing."

"What about you? You, Miss. Roth would be making eight hundred and forty, hundred thousand a year. You can't tell me you wouldn't kill for that kind of cash." Dick said coolly

"Trust me Dick, I'd kill for a lot of things, not just money." she said "So, good luck in Burma, be good, take notes, and relax I'm doing all the hard stuff. I'll call you when I do my interviews."

Monday 1:49 PM

"Kory! Kory! Kory!" Gar Logan ran through the small offices of StarFire Inc. The hauntingly handsome man's blonde hair and green eyes sparkled with delight. He was the personal assistant to Kory Anders the CEO, of a very small unknown business, of an upcoming restaurant and diet plan based on natural and organic foods, untouched by preservatives. Yes it was Gar's idea. He saw the long vibrant red head, sitting on the shabby couch of their office(which was rented).

"Guess who just called!" he said barely containing himself.

"Gar, I'm no good at these games." she said flashing him a sweet smile. Kory was naturally sweet. She was naturally everything. Beautiful, witty, kind, caring, and red haired. Her green eyes shone with the delight of her friend and partner's enthusiasm. She was the CEO of StarFire Inc. It was an idea that Gar came up with four years ago. They had barely anything. Money, investors, no one had much faith in the idea. Gar and Kory shared a rented apartment with three bedrooms, one which they kept as both of their offices.

"Raven Roth." he said on the edge of his feet. His smile was so huge, it looked like his gums would rip.

"Who?" Kory asked in an unsure tone. Gar stopped his irritant jumping and his smile faded.

"Are you kidding me? Don't you read the papers? Anyways you know how Bruce Wayne is having that internship?" Kory nodded. "Well the two finalist are Richard Grayson and Roy Harper. It turns out that Bruce has requested that they find a company for Wayne Enterprises to represent. So Richard Grayson's assistant manager Raven Roth saw our ad, and wants us to personally meet with them so that we could have a chance for Richard to suggest us to Bruce!" he said overjoyed

"Which means?" Kory said

"If we ace this interview, StarFire Inc. might be represented under Wayne enterprises. Which means-"

"If Richard likes us, Bruce Wayne might give us the money we need to start our restaurant!" she said catching on "This is the best thing that has happened to us in months, and I can tell you Gar catering to Bar Mitzvahs and sweet sixteens wasn't cutting it for me."

"Me either." Gar said so she wants us to come meet her at some bar tonight." he said plopping down on the dingy red sofa. He looked around he wished that there were more things in their apartment. They had cooking utensils, beds, a couch, and two tables and chairs mounted with files and papers. On the walls papers were taped with pictures of fancy bar stools and revolutionary kitchens. They looked through magazine and planned out what their restaurant would look like.

For years they went door to door pitching their ideas to big companies, just to have the door slammed in their face. Most people didn't care for the idea of a health bar. They said 'if they wanted a health bar they'd get a sushi bar'. But this was a dream the twenty-four year olds held very dear to them, and they were going to make it happen.

"Tonight?" Kory repeated "Isn't that a little short notice?"

"She said that they only had two weeks to find a company and investor, and she has more people to talk to, so it's take it or leave. We really need this. This could be our big chance." Gar said pleadingly

"Are you crazy? Do you really think I'd just let this just slip through the crevices?" Kory said jumping to her feet.

"So we're going." Gar said his eyes widening. Kory nodded she moved to the widow. The streets below were dirty and not her dream house. But the big white suburban house, with the white picket fence, perfectly manicured lawn, and bundles of kids running around with a German Shepard flashed before her eyes. Her dream house.

"Of course we're going." she said. She turned around and smiled at Gar. "But I think we should invest in some suits. To make an impression."

Gar nodded we have twenty grand, and we need to pay our went so we're on a budget." he said sternly. Kory nodded and whispered "OK". What else was new?

7:44 PM

Kory stood on the fourth floor of a bar called _Keli_. She and Gar bought suit to make an impression on Raven. Kory felt so out of character in the suit-skirt she was wearing with her hair tied back in a neat curly ponytail. Her heels were filling her. Gar was none too happy about the plain black suit he had to wear. Kory had forced him to slick back his hair. He stood bouncing to shake off his irritability. They were seated at then bar waiting for Raven to arrive. The bar was a sky loft that over looked the finer points of Manhattan. It was extremely swanky and a lot nicer, quieter, and less full than the bars they were use to in the Bronx.

"Can we just leave I hate it here." Gar whined openly. He slouched in his chair, and sighed.

"I think you're forgetting the reason we are here Gar. Isn't this beautiful? I'd love our restaurant to look like this." she said dreamily, Kory wanted so bad for a nice business venture like this, and she's put up with Gar's bitching for it. Kory's cell phone rang.

"Our place is going to be a lot less...serious." Gar said. Kory rolled her eyes as she answered the phone.

"This must be the vice of Kory Anders." came an unknown female voice.

"Uh, who is this?"

"Forgive me for not introducing myself, my name is Raven Roth. I spoke to your business partner earlier." she said calmly

"Oh, where are you?" Kory said looking around the bar as if she were lurking in the shadows, or hiding in a plant somewhere. All day she'd been paranoid that this one chance would come to an end. As if it were some sick joke, and Raven would not show up, or pop out saying 'you idea sucks. your a loser'.

"Pardon my tardiness I... got caught up. I'm actually on the elevator right now I'll be there in one minute." she said in a rather uncaring tone. Kory hung up the phone. She smiled happily and turned to Gar.

"She'll be here any second now." Kory turned to the elevator and watched as the person who could make her dreams come true would soon walk through the door. She was flooding with joy and excitement.

"Who cares, as long as she gets us that deal with Richard Grayson, I couldn't give a rat's ass. These business girls are all the same. Ugly chicks that did nothing in high school but study to make up for their low self esteem, and now she waste money on furs and cars when their are children in third world countries dying of AIDs. Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, and a broom stick up her ass."

"That's an awful thing to say." Kory scolded. "How can you say that about someone you've never met. This morning when she called you were going to break the floors boards, bouncing with excitement, and now your making all these nasty assumptions? What happened?"

"I find out she was the daughter of the lying, cheating, scum bag Tristian Roth." he said angrily. He slammed his tall glass of Long island iced tea on the counter. Kory didn't know what to say Tristian Roth was a billionaire. He, like Bruce Wayne, based his company on small companies, which meant instant success. But he got seventy percent of the profits and when he was done with them he screwed them over, and they ended up with nothing. anyone who defied him ended up missing, but no legal justice was ever brought upon him, because they were deathly afraid of him.

"She's probably just like him." Gar said coldly "Cold, cruel, an unlawful bitch."

"Don't be so judgmental." Kory warned darkly. Gar could tell she was serious, she never used a stern tone. "This woman is doing us a huge favor. without he we mine as well throw in the towel. Now I expect you to be nice."

Gar turned back in his chair towards the elevator. "I will but she's probably a..." Gar's voice trailed off as Raven Roth walked off elevator. Her long hair bounced off her shoulders, in perfect Italian waves. Gar felt as if there was a ray of light urberating off of her perfect pale complexion. And her eyes were like nothing he'd ever seen before, like brilliant amethyst diamonds. Her curvy figure slithered in the room like gentle wave of an ocean. "Total hottie." he finished. Kory gentle pushed his arm playfully.

Raven walked over to the bar and stood before Kory. "Hi, you must be Kory?" she asked. Kory looked around to see if Richard was coming off the elevator.

"Yes," Kory said "Will Richard be joining us?"

"Unfortunately Dick is in Burma at a very important conference and has asked that I doing all the interviewing until he gets back, but if all goes well you will be meeting him in person very soon."

"I'm sorry who." Gar said rather coldly

"Oh," she closed her eyes for a second and shook her head slightly "Richard prefer to be called to be called Dick." she said. Gar opened his mouth to say something. "Don't ask why." she said reading his mind. She sat down on the stool next Gar. she placed the brief case on the counter.

"Now let's get down to business. as you both know Di..." Raven cleared her thought "Richard is a finalist in the competitive internship at Wayne Enterprises. As a requested task by Bruce Wayne himself as asked that he acquire a company for Bruce to represent. I saw your ad and luckily for you it caught my attention. So me about your company."

Kory took a deep breath. Where to begin? Kory took a sip of her cosmopolitan." Well, we're an independent company that specialize in vegetarian cuisine and culinary. About four years ago Gar had idea about a upscale restaurant based off of the raw food diet. everything we make is completely natural, and have zero preservatives. We use the freshest of vegetables and fruits and seasonings that are farm raised. We make our foods delicious and nutritious. With today's' fascination and obsession with weight loose, we make it a breeze." she said. Suddenly Kory felt light headed, she did an excellent job but the nervousness wouldn't leave her mind.

Raven scribbled something down on a piece of paper. Then her cell phone rang. "Hey, Dick...yeah right now..culinary arts...Ok I'll call you back." Raven hung up the phone. "He wants me to make sure you are truly in it for the greater goods, not bullshit." she said

"Of course not." Gar and Kory said at the same time.

"I wouldn't worry, you have good qualities, and your independent Richard likes that. So far I've interviewed four other and so far your my favorite so that's good. You lack experience but I think you have enough to get you through. so thank you for your time, and I'll call you in a few days. So far it's looking good." Raven said packing up her things.

"That's it?" Kory said

"Yeah, I know these things are shockingly short, but even talking for just three minutes makes the greatest of difference." Raven then passed them a thick packet of documents. "Look over these so you know exactly what your doing."

"Thank you so much." Kory said as Raven got up to leave.

"Just doing my job." Raven said. she turned around to leave.

"How's you father?" Gar asked out of nowhere. He leaned and rocked in his chair, Heavily glaring at her. Raven turned around surprised at his question. She gave him an unsurprised look.

"My father and I don't speak...ever." she said coldly. Then she turned around and stomped off to the elevator. She jabbed the down button. How dare he ask her something like that. She'd spent most of her life escaping the image her father thrust upon her. People always assumed she was just like him. Ruthless, manipulative, a crime lord, everything she feared to be. Raven hated to admit it but her and her father were a lot alike. They both were determined, and had a infamous temper, they both wanted to be on top. But that' s where the similarities ended, she wanted nothing to do with him, and her worst fear was she'd become him.

Raven leaned against elevator. She took a deep breath, and started breathing heavy. Raven leaned on the floor she pulled out a bottle of prescription medicine. "Not right now." she said to herself. As if she needed more problems right now.

Kory was pacing around the office. The pale moon shone in a reflected off the dull wood floors. She could hear the cars beeping, and people shouting below. "What the hell were you think! Did you see her face! You upset her! You hurt our chances at this deal! What the fuck!" ever since they left the bar Gar had been listening to Kory bitch about his lack of courtesy towards Raven.

"Fuck Kory, I said I was sorry, let it go!" he said pulling off his jacket. He tossed it onto the already messy table. He didn't care much for Raven for really no reason. When he was younger his father was leading an expedition in Africa funded by Tristian. One day he just cut them off. They were only in Africa with no money. It took them years to make it back to the states. He'd always felt hatred towards him, and now he was taking his anger out on Raven.

"Gar if we don't get this deal, I will personally rip out your testicles and feed it to a starving dog." Kory said. Gar rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." he said rudely. Kory scowled. She walked into the small bathroom. It wasn't much just a shower, sink, toilet, and medicine cabinet. Kory stripped out of her fancy attire. She closed the lid on the toilet and neatly folded up her clothes, and placed them on top. She turned on the shower, and stepped in as it quickly steamed the bathroom.

The hot water ran through her silky hair, The water dripped off her golden skin and long legs. The shower was were Kory thought about who life was going to be for her, when she got her restaurant opened. She'd move out of the Bronx, and buy a luscious apartment, and buy designer clothes everyday. She'd donate lots of money lots of money to the Boys and Girls club, where she volunteered. "We'll call it la carotte fraîche." she said which was french for the fresh carrot. Her dreams were finally coming true.

I know this is boring but it heats up next chapter. Richard and Kory meet and it gets steamy after that.


	2. The First To Fall

A new chapter OMG! I read and reread chapter one a million times and I don't know how I made so many mistakes! My bad I'll try harder this time.

Disclaimer-If I owned Teen Titans...I'd be a lot cooler than I am.

* * *

-"Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it,

like my heart's going to cave in." American Beauty, 1999.-

Dick laid on his bed breathing in the familiar smells. Burma was nice, but nothing beats coming home. Besides between all the meetings and security measure he found no time to relax at all. He'd just gotten in an hour ago, around ten or so, and he had to go meet Raven in an hour. For him, work never ended. It was like once one long unbearable week ended, bam another smacked him before he had a chance to recover. This internship meant the world to Dick, and a little exhaustion was going to stop him.

He rolled over on his side. He felt jet lagged and was having a hard time getting to sleep. "Screw this." he said getting up. He slowly scuffled into the kitchen and made a cup of coffee. As the hot liquid licked his senses, Dick realized it was the most relax he'd been in so long. "Wow, I must have no real life if I find coffee relaxing." Dick rolled his eyes, at himself. He leaned against the kitchen counter and caught a glimpse of himself in the reflection of the glass doors. He did not recognize himself. His eyes were baggy, his hair dishelmed, he needed to shave.

Dick groaned he couldn't even keep up with a hair cut. Then phone rang distracting Dick from anymore physical loathing. "Hello." he said groggily.

"Dick.. can we... meet in like.. two hours please." Raven said. She sounded like she was coughing violently.

"Are you alright?" Dick said sounding alarmed. Raven coughed a little more. Dick fell into a chair and rested his head on the counter. The phone was making an annoying buzz noise, like it was breaking up. "Rae, are you OK?"

"I'm fine." she said. Now she sounded like she was even more tired than Dick was. "Can we meet in later." she said

"Are you sure your alright? You sound really exhausted." He said with gentle concern ringing in his tone.

"I'm fine!" she snapped." I was up all night going over the eleven interviews in did these past five days, excuse me for being just a little tired!" Dick whispered "yes' before hanging up the phone. This was better for both of them. They were both tired and needed a few hours to sleep. He flipped open the newspaper. More shit about the rich, stupid heiress.

"There are wars in other countries, and I'm suppose to care that bitch is going to jail for three weeks?" Dick said outraged. "Bullshit." Dick had enough of the pointless shit the news reported everyday. He rested his head atop of the paper. And immediately drifted off to sleep.

"What the hell do you expect me to do? I worked my fucking ass off for this for two fucking years!" he appeared to be yelling at a tall silhouette, far in the distance. He tried to approach the figure, but no matter how fast he ran he couldn't catch up to it. It wasn't moving but he wasn't getting closer. The scenery was like a white box. Dick's footsteps echoed into the box. Finally the figure seemed to be going forward in ghostly movements. It wasn't moving, but it was going forward. "No! Wait!" Dick yelled after the figure, but it melted into sand and blew away in the wind.

Dick awoke with a start. His face was sweaty and his breathing was heavy. Dick shook off the strangeness of the dream, there was about the dream that was eerie. Dick looked at the clock. 12:23. He had to meet Raven in thirty-six minutes. "Shit." he cursed to himself, as he ran off to take a shower.

* * *

Dick rode the elevator to Raven's apartment very nervous. He was at least twenty minutes late, and by her tone this morning, she did not sound like she was in the mood for any of his tardiness. Raven's apartment was nice, she used to share it with her fiancé, until they broke up. Everyone who lived there worked too much to spend so much on their lease, when they were hardly ever there. Whenever Dick came over he never saw a trace that anyone else even lived there. It was eerily silent. The elevator let him off on the second floor. 

Dick walked down the empty hallway. He approached apartment twelve and knocked, and got no answer. "Rae?" he yelled into the door. He got nothing. Dick looked around, and made sure no one was watching him. He set down his brief case, and jumped up. He reached his hand on the top of the door frame, and knocked the tiny silver key over. She really needed to hide her key somewhere else. Dick slipped the key in the hole, and was automatically by the sound of Steven Tyler's voice.

Dick looked around and Raven was nowhere in sight. There were large boxes scattered everywhere marked. M's stuff. "Raven?" Dick called he started to move around towards to back of her apartment. "Rae?" he said quietly. He started to hear the sound of things being thrown into a box. He entered Raven's bedroom, but stopped in the door way. He knew better than to go into Raven's room. Once you went in you might never come out, with all your limbs. Her closet door, which slid open, was opened, and her legs were dangling from the top of the closet. The rest of her was out of sight. Under her legs, were a step ladder, and a box that lay the left side of her.

Raven had an attic above her closet, and when she and Malcolm broke up, she banished all his things up there. Then Raven stepped off the ladder. She turned and saw Dick and jumped back.

"Holy shit, are you trying to give me a heart attack.". Dick rubbed the back of his head. Raven threw in a little more stuff in to the box, before casually kicking it into the corner. "How did you get in here?" Raven asked folding up the ladder.

"You really must find a new place to find this." Dick said holding up the key, grinning. Raven walked over to him and snatched the key from his hand. She placed on the night stand next to her bed, then picked up a large pile of folders. She handed them to Dick, and lead him away from her room, and into the living room. She shut off the stereo in the kitchen. "Trying to distract yourself? What, there wasn't enough work to be done?"

Raven turned to Dick, and shook her head. "I don't know what you mean." she said quietly. Dick just stood there with the same expression on his face. "So what, I can't listen to Aerosmith without there being a crisis in my life?" Raven took the folders back from Dick and dumped them on the coffee table. "I interviewed a lot of different companies and as you know I think our best bet is with StarFire. Inc." she said picking up the first folder on top of the pile "They have a revolutionary plan based off trends of today. It's different, it's today, it's an all around good idea."

"I don't know, Raven." Dick sounded unsure. "They have very little experience in this type of profession. I don't know if Wayne Enterprises is ready to start in the restaurant biz."

"C'mon, name one a-list celebrity or socialite who is starving themselves, or taken unnecessary dieting pills. Losing weight is part of the shallowness that has invaded our world. This has a chance to become, not only a restaurant but a whole empire of gyms and diet plan books, and it's healthy and nothing is dangerous about it. How would it look if Wayne enterprises were part of the first healthy, popular, effective new craze?" Raven said.

"You know what I saw everyone else's idea's they suck. I like this, I'm going with this." He said finally happy with his decision.

"I knew you would." Raven said.

* * *

"It's been two days and we haven't heard from them, I knew it. They found some big huge idea that's way better than ours'." Kory said as she paced around their studio. 

"Hey Kory I just got a call from a girl named Lulu she wants us to cater at her wedding, it's a green wedding." Gar said putting the phone on his shoulder. Kory looked at him wide eyed, and mouthed "no". "We will get back to you." Gar said before hanging up the phone. "Kory we're late on our rent, we need money."

Kory was now outraged. For the past three days while Kory worried day and night whether they'd get a call from Raven, Garfield made it no better. He slouched around the house, and would scowl every time Kory even mentioned the interview. Tensions between them was thick enough to cut with a knife. "So that's it? Your throwing in the towel! It's only been a couple days!"

"Kor," he shouted sitting up from the couch "We don't need them we can find someone else. Someone more...legit."

"More legit than Wayne Enterprises! It's not like she personally ruined your life, she wasn't even representing herself for Roth Inc., she was under Wayne freakin' Enterprises! You know how much this means to me, how could you beal on me now?" Kory yelled tears, slicing down her face. She'd been holding all this in, for the past two days, and something inside her just snapped. Gar's face soften.

"Kory, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, I'm not mad at you. Hell, I'm not even mad about the deal, it just..." Gar stopped and sighed. He searched his mind for the perfect words to describe how low he was feeling these days.

"Gar what's wrong?" Kory said softly sitting next to him and putting her arm around his shoulder.

Gar sighed again "The day we went to that interview, I went to see Terra and... she dumped me." Kory was shocked. "She said the I was a dead beat loser and that I would never amount to anything or do anything useful, and I was a waste of sperm and egg." Kory couldn't believe the things Terra had said. They'd been together for a year now. Kory never liked Terra, there was something really mistrusting about her. None the less they seemed good for each other. This was just shocking.

"Gar I'm so, very-" Kory was interrupted by ringing of the phone. She gave Gar a look that was pleading him to let her answer the phone. Gar rolled his eyes. Kory picked up the phone her heart was beating, and her ears were ringing with excitement that was not disguised by her voice. "Hello?"

"Hi Kory, this is Raven I am just calling to let you know that Dick has made is his decision on who he wants to meet Bruce." her voice was calm. Kory had this picture of her sitting in some huge office with her feet up on the desk This was it the moment of truth. Kory felt her stomach twinge with nervousness. "Congratulations, he has decided to go with your company."

Kory felt her stomach twinge again. All she could do was stop her mouth from dropping open. "So he wants to meet with you and your partner on Saturday at his house." Raven continued "Is that alright?"

Kory was still in her state of shock and it didn't automatically register in her mind. "Oh, yeah that's fine." Kory stood up and found and pen and piece of paper.

"His address is at The Château Ellise, apartment thirty, on Modeson Ave. Alright I look forward to seeing you there." Raven said

"Bye." Kory said. She turned to Gar a patted the side of her hips, with the biggest smile anyone's ever seen before. "They want us!" she whispered. Gar jumped up, grabbed Kory's arm's and they both started jumping up and down like maniacs. "They want us to go to his house for dinner on Saturday."

Gar groaned. What a way to kill the moment. "I'm getting sick of business dinners." he said "I can't wait to go back to pizza."

"Well, get use to it because when this deal goes through we're going to be going to a lot of them."

* * *

Saturday 8:19 PM 

Dick always became obsessed with cleaning and cooking when ever guest came over. He spent all of yesterday night scrubbing his penthouse down with a toothbrush, all this morning at the grocery store, and all that afternoon preparing to food to entertain his guest. He didn't dress up. He spent must of his life in a tux or business suit. Tonight he was in the comfort of his own home, so he dressed casually. Four flute glasses of champagne, sat on a silver tray, next to the bottle, on his now glossy and polished counter. The sounds of Beethoven's fifth, lightly mooded the scenery.

Dick's apartment was very classy. Like a scene out of the pianist. Everything was beige, and statues of geek gods decorated the rooms. It was pretty nice. The beige curtain in the lodge shaped living room were extremely large, and drawn back. The view was perfect, and it majestified all of Manhattan. The world was below them. The gorgeous light, and night life of New York seemed small and distant, like the rush of the world was underground. This was the very reason Dick bought the place, to escape from everyday life.

He heard very faintly the door bell ring. He used the remote the turn the volume down. He swiftly whisked to the door. He pulled the down open to find a stunning, drop dead gorgeous, red head with a plain little black dress standing in front of his door. He tried his best not to stare but, this girl was like an Amazon goddess.

"Hi, you must be Dick." she said sticking her hand out. "I'm Kory Anders and this is my partner Garfield Logan." she said pulling a small blonde man into view. Dick accepted the hand shake.

"It's a great pleasure to meet you two." he said "Please come in." he said stepping aside letting and allowing his guest to enter. When they got inside Kory and Gar were awed. It was beautiful and a lot nicer than anything they'd ever seen before.

"I saw a hotel room like this once." Gar whispered to Kory but Kory was too bust gazing at Dick's apartment as if it were some sort of museum. Dick shut the door, and ran his fingers through his hair. It was a bad habit, he did when we was nervous or in an awkward scenario.

"So this is my place." He said. There was a slight waver in his voice. Kory ran her hand over the long wood table, nicely decorated with a silver table runner, and four plate arrangement. Kory assumed Raven would be joining them later. "So, while we wait for Raven, who for some reason is incapable time getting anywhere on time besides work, why don't we make ourselves acquaintance."

Kory nodded and took a seat on the right side of the table. Gar sat across from her and Dick sat at the head of the table. No one said anything for a long, awkward moment. During that moment Dick ran his fingers through his hair several times. "So, is this what you guys talk about at the office all day?" Gar said collecting chuckles from everyone.

"I guess I didn't realize how awful I was at small talk. Raven is always the ice breaker." Gar glanced up at Dick, then swore under his breath. Luckily Dick didn't notice. Kory shot him an irritating glare at him. "So tell me about yourselves."

"Well, we met about seven years ago when we were seniors in high school. I was the shy nerdy girl, and Gar... he was just nerdy. So know the whole high school thing, outcast we really didn't have friends, just each other. Then I went a community college but dropped out after like one year, because it wasn't my passion. I was into culinary arts so Gar and I teamed up and used all of our savings to fund StarFire Inc. And the rest as they sat is history." Kory said rather pleasantly.

Gar cleared his throat and said "I resent being called nerdy. I wasn't nerdy, I was just...flamboyant."

Kory smiled at him."What about you?" she said to Dick.

"Oh, I don't like talking about myself. I end up sounding like some show off who's trying to impress people." Dick said. Right before another uncomfortable silence the door bell rang. "I'll go get that." he said jumping up to get the door. Of course it was Raven. She walked in and greeted everyone. She was wearing a black button up blouse and jeans, which made Kory feel overdressed.

"What did I miss?" she said sitting in the chair opposite from Dick.

"We just getting to know each other." Dick said "Your turn." Raven crossed her fingers, and thought of something to say.

"Hm, let's see." she started "I was born, my father sent me to boarding school, until I was twelve then my mother took me back and here I am today twelve years later." she said quickly.

"O...K." Gar said

"Raven, after twenty-four years of life that's your biography?" Dick said. Raven didn't say anything, this was the sign that he should drop it, and drop it he did. "Well, now that we're all here we can get down to buisness." Everyone groaned. "You know what I think we're all sick of buisness, let's just talk or something, it's a good night for everyone, we'll talk lawyer some other day." Dick wondered if the champagne was getting to him, he was never good at holding his alcohol.

"Alright," Gar said "I know we'll play the question game. You can ask anyone any question. If they choose not to answer they take a shot."

This made Dick and Raven slightly uncomfortable. Their dirty laundry was especially dirty. The kind that they'd kill to keep under the radar. But if they wanted this deal they had to get Kory and Gar to trust them. Personally Raven thought this was some clever plot for Gar to get her to spill her gut, but Raven would rather get drunk than anyone find out her secrets.

"Raven," Gar said slyly "What the craziest thing you did as a teen?"

Raven gave her champagne glass a quick glance, then pushed it forward. "When I was seventeen I was in an..." Raven's voice trailed off as she mumbled something. Everyone looked at her. "What was that?" Dick said

"I was in an Aerosmith video!" she said. Everyone gasped. Kory laughed, Dick had that smug looking grin on his face that Raven dispised, and Gar was cracking up. Raven sighed and shook her head again.

"Which one?"

"You said one question." Raven said with a small smile. "Maybe next round. Kory you seem sweet as apple pie, and America loves apple pie, so tell us what's the baddest thing you've ever done?"

"Oo." Dick and Gar said at the same time. Kory searched her brain for an answer, but it didn't come. She couldn't think of one bad thing she'd ever done. Kory shook her head. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" Raven repaeted a little surprised "C'mon every good girl has that one bad thing she's done. Rob a bank, start a horrible rumor, kill someone?" This time Kory thought long and hard about it. She went back to the days when it was her and her sister, Blair. One day Blair, had stolen money from her. Kory had been saving that money for months, so she decided to get back at her...

"OK, I've got it." she said happily. Dick and Gar were at the edge of their seats. There was a long pause, and Kory opened her mouth. She then grabbed her glass and swallowed the champagne.Dick and Gar both booed. "This ones for Dick. Tell us something we don't know about you. And not some fifth grade secret like boxers or briefs."

"Bruce Wayne is my adoptive father." he said, his voice uncaring. Everyone gasped except Raven, who far knew this.

"Shut up." were the only words that Kory could muster.

"No, really." he said

"Then why do this internship? Can't you just-" Kori started. Dick flashed her a glare (there was a lot of that going on that night), but he quickly shook it off. On the rare occassion people did find out about him and Bruce, they would always ask why would he do the internship. The answer was Dick waould definately never be satisfied. He needed to know he was the best, and that he deserved to be the director. He couldn't live wondering if there was someone out there better than him. Someone who deserved this job. Besides like Raven, Dick had been sent to boarding school. He knew Bruce did it out of love and concern, but Dick still felt resentment towards Bruce. In high school Dick started acting out, a big disappoitment to Bruce. Dick did feel bad about it. This way he could redeem himself, and make Bruce proud of him.

"Uh, that's another question little lady. Some other time." Dick interrupted smiling at Kory. To his delight she smiled back. Dick rimmed the edge of his half full glass and circled the rim. "Gar, if you could have one night with any girl, no strings attached who would it be?"

Gar contemplated this question carefully. Normally he'd jump right out of his seat and say some innocent, good girl, sexy, celebrity like Jessica Alba but today there was something different. He looked up at Kory and then his attention turned to Raven. At that very moment her gorgeous eyes sparkled like two limpid pools of amethyst colored sunshine, that shone through the window of his heart, and the eyes of his soul. It was at that very second he let go of all his unjust hostility and anger towards her. It was that moment he fell in love with her. "J-Jessica..Alba." he said half heartedly. He wanted nothing more than to swallow the whole bottle of champagne. "Raven, what's your deepest darkest secret. Something you would never ever tell anyone?" he asked

Raven immediately picked up her glass, and swallowed the champagne. "Your not getting information out of me that easily." Raven raised her eye at Gar. "What about...any one night stands?"

Gar laughed. "Why are all my questions about sex and one night stands? But, no I'm not a date-em-and-dump- em kind of guy. I'd rather find and intelligent girl with conversation and personality and keep her around for awhile, than find a hot, easy girl. I mean what are we going to do stare at each other?"

Raven looked at him like she was surprised. She lightly pressed her tongue on the inside of her gum. "Huh."

"Dick, how many times have watched a...dirty movie?"

"You mean like a porno? Never." Dick said. Most men wouldn't believe him, but if he was lying he was doing a damn good job of it.

"Really?" Kory said sounding really impressed. "No playboys, or... anything."

"Call me old fashioned, nut I could never promote something that degraded and demeaned women. Men making money off of the opposite sex, by disrespecting them. It's gross." Dick said. he was the type of guy who was so manly, he could say anything without fear of it making him insecure in his masculenity. He really was a guys' guy.

This made Kory very impressed. She thought very highly of him. And hot for him, not sexually but mentally. She'd never met a man who would rather treat a women with respect than have to prove something to the boys. Suddenly there was a beedping noise coming from the kitchen. "That's dinner, I hope you like fillet minion, and baked sweet potatos." Dick said throwing his napkin off of his lap and standing up.

"Mister Grayson where do you find the time to learn to cook?" Kory said in a sweet, slightly sarcastic tone.

Dick picked up his glass and swallowed the contents. "I would tell you but it's my turn to ask the questions."

* * *

After dinner, which was delicious, while Dick was giving Kory the grand tour Raven picked up all the dishes and began on washing them. Gar watched her curiously. "Do you always wash Dick's dishes?" he asked leaning back in his chair 

Raven gave a small laugh while she rolled up her sleeve. "Dick is a big boy he can do his own chores, it's just it's been a long week and after tonight he's going to be too tired to do the dishes. It's my job as his manager to make sure he takes care of himself and I love Dick he's like a brother to me. I worry some times he has too much on his plate. I just try my hardest to make sure his job is as easy as I can make."

"What about you? Doesn't making Dick's job easier for him make it harder for you?" Gar asked

Raven dried a plate she was holding and neatly placed it on the cabinet. "It does get very stressful for me especially since... well that's just it, Dick's job is like rocket science if I were a waitress. I want him to get this job just as much as he does, and to get on top takes a lot of sacrifice. I'm more than willing to do my fair share of work as long as Dick doesn't lose it and screw it up for both of us. And when he does get this job I'm so getting a raise." Raven said

"So, your his assitant manger? Like his personal assistant?" Gar said blushing slightly. Raven shook the excess water of of the forks.

"I'm like his partner, except I don't get half or anywhere near what he's making, and I'm the one who makes sure everything goes smoothly."

Raven dried her hands off and sat down in a chair, next to Gar. Her long fingger slid down the edge of the table. Gar watched her every movement as she made everything look so graceful. Her head tilted as her hands moved. It's funny how quickly you could go from hating someone and falling in love with them.

Meanwhile Dick was out on the balcony with Kory watching the city light. She leaned over the edge, while straddled a lawn chair. It was silent, well as silent as the city is at night. They didn't talk much, but they could speak with their minds and that was all they needed. It was weird how they both felt, since they'd just mey two and a half hours ago.

" I have never seen such a view." Kory said staring admirable into the distance. "I always dreamed of living in the city." Kory turned towards Dick and rested her elbows on the ledge of the banister. "You know I grew up in the country side. It was small and boring. There's was nothing to do but go to school and raise the pigs.

"You raised pigs?" Dick said surpressing his laughter. Kory smiled at him, and laughed.

"I know, hard to believe I did farm work. But I was always afraid of living the way my parents did. Live in the same small town for my whole life, with the same people. Then I'd marry my first boyfriend when I was seventeen, whom my parents choose for me. And I'd never see anywhere, or do anything. I mean how do you know what you really want in life if you've only known one thing. I needed to get out there and see the world."

"I know what you mean. When I was sixteen during my second semester at this boarding school I snuck out and took a...little vacation to Asia. Bruce demanded I come home instantly, but I was stubborn. I stayed about three weeks. With the locals, and helped out the orphanage. The whole time I was there, I felt differentlike wow where has this been my whole life, and why does this make me happy, but home doesn't. When I did decide to come home, I was expelled from and home just home didn't seem like home to me anymore." Dick said. It wasn't his proudest moment, since Bruce was very disappointed with him. "I was kind of a rebel back then, but I cleaned up my act and got it all figured out."

Kory sat down on the edge of Dick's chair. "Is that why you never seem happy?" she asked. Dick looked at her confused. "C'mon Dick is this really what you want to do or-" Kory stopped. "Nevermind."

As the evening wore on Raven left first around eleven. Then Kory and Gar decided to depart. Gar was tired and slugged his way to the elevator. Kory stood at Dick's front door. She knew she had to leave but she really didn't want to. "I had a lovelt time." she said unknowingly flirting with her eyes. "Well, good night." as she turned to leave Dick grabbed her arm. Kory spun around to face him.

"Yes." was all he said. Now Kory looked like she didn't understand. "I'm sure this is what I want."

"Oh, well than I'm happy to help you." Kory said. She slowly walked to the elevator, where Gar looked annoyed at her taking so long. Kory was mind somewhere it had never been before. if Dick was so happy why didn't he look happy? Did he think she was stupid? She could tell if a person was happy or not, and Dick wasn't. He was doing this to please Bruce and that wasn't how anyone was meant to spend their life. She'd spent her whole life trying to make her parents happy, but then she realized they were living her life for her. Dick needed some serious attitude adjustment, he needed to want to live. That's all Kory thought about leaving the building, the cab ride home, that night, and that morning.

It wasn't much better for Dick either. He saw her in his dreams. She lived the exact opposite as he did. She was a ggod girl, but she was also a free spirit. She would go against her parents, and risk losing their love and respect, for herself. Dick used to be like that, but it was breaking Bruce's heart. When he ranaway to Malaysia when he saw sixteen it killed Bruce. dick decided never to disappoint him again. Today he was obiediant, and did everything Bruce wanted him to.

This is what he wanted. Right?

* * *

Well, tell me what you think I tried my best with the grammar this time. Thank you to all who reviewed 


	3. Love Stoned Part I

This is the third chapter. I'm trying to get as much updates before I go back to school. Which is in like two weeks. It lok more time with this chapter because I didn't really know what to do and I wanted it to be a little bit longer. Sorry to anyone who is not christian, no offense I promise this might come back as something important later.

Discalimer- I do not own the Teen Titans, and I'm not catholic, I'm baptist.

* * *

-"Hello, gorgeous." Funny Girl, 1968-

"Nervous?" Raven asked Dick. She could probably tell by left his leg jittering uncontrollably, which annoyed Raven to no end. They were currently sitting outside a large laboratory waiting on a meeting from Victor Stone, a multi-millionaire, who they wanted his company S.T.A.R Labs to also invest in StarFire Inc. Victor never invested in anything, never ever. Dick didn't have much hope in getting him, to now. He had his eye on a couple other investors worthy when he turned them down. Raven, however, was more than confident Vic would say yes. But Dick was losing sleep over this. He only had two days to get an investor.

"I don't have a good feeling about this." Dick whispered to Raven. She rolled her eyes. 'What makes you so certain he'll agree?"

Raven leaned in and whispered to Dick "Victor and I go way back. I did him a favor, and gave him something very, very...precious to me. Something I can never get back." Raven had this smug grin on her face as she turned away from Dick. Dick squinted his eyes. What the hell was that suppose to mean? Suddenly Dick eyes widened at the sudden realization of what she said. His mouth dropped wide enough to be a bug net.

"You had sex with Victor!" he sort of whispered, but loud enough for some passing doctors, or scientists to hear. Raven quickly shushed him. She pulled him to his feet and lead him around the corner. She looked around for a near by discreet location, and settled on a supply closet. She closed the door behind Dick, and pulled the string that ignited the light bulbs above their head. "Oh my Gawd!" Dick whispered "When?"

"It's not that big of a deal." Raven said crossing her arms "It was years ago." She leaned against a book shelf stocked with paints, gloves, sterile pads, and such.

"When?" Dick said fiercely. Dick and Raven engaged in a long silent battle of the glare. Raven stared at Dick unblinkingly, telling him to let it go. Dick stared at her, looking for an answer right now.

"I was seventeen. We met in Las Angeles back when I was going through the dark times of my life. Him and his family were invited to my father's Christmas party, which my father blatenly ignored me. There we met, we talked on the roof, smoked a little, and I... gave him my virginity." she said a light blush wiped across her face. Dick didn't know what to say. His partner had a one night stand with a big corporate giant, and she planned to use that against him. "Don't worry about it we remained friends. And I don't plan on bringing that up at all, this is strictly business. You know how I was back then. I was starving for my father's attention, and I would do anything to get it"

"Did it work at least?" Dick said sarcastically.

"Actually he the one who gave me the condom." Raven said nonchalantly. Dick looked absolutly stunned, this was the saddest, most disturbing, and graphic story he'd ever heard. But it was pretty funny. If her father knew she was going to do it, he didn't even care? What kind of jerk was he?

"So he knew that you were...and he didn't intervene?" Dick said shocked "I want to kick his ass and I'm not even your father." Raven gave a small smile, like she found this all amusing, and she did. It was funny to her how much she wanted her love, and how quickly she found out it would never happen. Here she was almost eight years later, and she now didn't even bother speaking to her father. She had gotten where she was in life, with no help at all from him.

"Actually he walked in, on the middle of us doing it and told us to keep it down. It wasn't the most glamorous experience of my life." Raven said crossing her arms. Dick was suppressing his laughter, but he lost. Raven hit him on the arm. "It's not funny. That was the most embarrassing moment of my entire life, to this day."

"No Raven, that's really funny." Dick said laughing. Raven shot him her infamous death glare. "Any other secrets?"

"Yeah, I'm adopting a fourteen year old orphan from Hong Kong. Shh don't tell my mother yet, it's a surprise" she said sarcastically. Raven rolled her eyes, slowly opening the door. She peeked out to see if anyone was around. When the coast was clear she stepped out, Dick closely following. They went back to the waiting area they had just left. If dick was nervous before, he was wasn't any better now. After a long moment of silence and waiting, the tall, dark, and handsome Victor Stone emerged from his office. Dick and Raven immediately stood up.

"Hey, Raven how are you?" he said giving her a quick peck on the cheek, in which she graciously accepted.

"I'm Ok." she said. "This is my employer, Dick." Vic held his hand out and shook Dick's hand kindly.

"It's nice to finally meet you." Dick said. Vic lead them both into his office. It was large but cluttered in boxes and files were spread across the desk. Raven and Dick sat in chairs on the opposites die of Vic. "I spoke with your father awhile ago." he said to Raven. Raven scoffed. She could just imagine how that conversation went :

"Hello Mr. Roth."

"Hello Victor. The last time I saw you, you were on top doing my daughter."

Raven shook the thoughts from her head. "How is he?"

"The same." Victor said simply. Dick was starting to feel more awkward by the second. He the more awkward he felt the more he felt like this was a horrible idea. He wanted nothing more than to jump up from his seat and run, but that was unprofessional. So he sat there like a good boy pretending to be interested in Vic and Raven's walk down memory lane. "Anyways I hear you have a business proposal for me."

Dick gulped, he knew everything he was suppose to say to impress him, but none of the words wouldn't come out. Raven looked at him, waiting for him to sat something, she caught his nervousness and spoke for him. "We are looking for a sponsor to fund a new project, that we have recently taken on."

Vic was silent. Dick felt like ice dropped into his stomach. " Go on." he said

"Well, we have decided that StarFire Incorporated is going to be the next money making corporation to be funded by Wayne Enterprises. It's a restaurant idea, new and different to anything Bruce has done before. And it's not a fab thing, or hot for the moment. As you know there is growing number of vegetarians and vegans in the area, not mention the millions of people who want a healthier lifestyle." she said

Vic again was quiet he seemed to be thinking for awhile. Dick was too nervous to say anything. Finally Victor sighed. "I don't think now is the best time, to invest in anything."

"But-" Raven started

"I'll tell you something that needs to be kept out of the public eye. S.T.A.R labs is losing a lot of money and we're not getting anywhere. It has cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars. If the public found out they'd shut us down. We're doing the best we can, but our technology cost a lot of money. Money we don't have."

Dick sighed and hung his head for a second. He couldn't wait to tell Raven off for this. "I totally, and fully understand your dilemma, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity Bruce Enterprises doesn't offer partnerships everyday."

Vic sighed again. "Believe me if I had the money I'd seriously take up the offer, but we're on a budget of twenty-five million a year, I don't think I'll have enough to invest half into StarFire Inc. and still have enough for our project-"

"You don't have to invest half." Raven interjected. Dick shot her a what-the-hell-are-you-doing look, Raven turned back to Victor. "Not half but.. we can bring it down to a fifth."

Dick was holding in the urge to slap Raven in the face. Raven avoided eye contact with him. She nodded her head towards the stapled file sticking out of her bag. Once Dick caught on he reached in his bag and pulled it out. It was a document of the estimated cost to build the restaurant which was about ten million. He made his mouth in the shape of an O. "Yes, five million is about how much..."

Vic looked at Raven and then at Dick and then at Raven and then at Dick again. "If you show me your plans and make sure this is a steady deal, I'm up for it, we really could use the money."

Dick smiled Raven shot him an I-told-you- so look. After two hours of convincing and near grieving Victor finally agreed. Dick walked out of the office and for the first time since they entered he could breath properly. As the sunlight shone off his eyes, Raven spoke to Dick directly since the started the meeting. "You so owe me a raise."

"How did you get the graphics for the design so early?" he asked. Raven hailed a cab, opened the door.

"What do you think I was doing last week?" she said as she got into the cab. Dick just shook his head. "You're welcome." she said before shutting the door.

"I really need to start trusting her decision," Dick said as he hailed his own cab. "Maybe then I'll be able to sleep."

* * *

"Hurry up Gar, it's embarrassing coming into church late." Kory said hurrying down the street. She'd wore her most conservative outfit, and prepared full well for church this morning. She made Gar get up early and dress properly. They, well Kory, used to go to church every Sunday but when she moved to New York, she started slacking. She hadn't been to church in like three months, and she was started to feel very guilty. So, she heard of this church not to far away and decided to go. 

Gar on the other hand wasn't too enthusiastic about having to get up at eight. "I'll hurry up a little later in the day." Gar said dragging his feet on the concrete. He did look sharp in his suit. They were going to a Roman Catholic church called Our Lady of Lord, although none of them were catholic, but why not try something new. They came around the corner and saw the lovely, kind of small, church just being opened. A crowd of people were going in. "Oh, good we're just on time." Kory said

Gar groaned. Kory pulled him towards the crowd. A few minutes later Kory and Gar were seated in the middle sections of the pews. Kory listened intently to the priest, Gar shamefully, felt like falling asleep. "I'm going to...confess." he whispered. Truthfully he just wanted something else to do. He stood up and walked to the back of the church were there was a confessions box. He could hear someone inside, so he waited a moment. The voice sounded oddly familiar. After a few minutes, Raven stepped out of the confessions box. This shocked Gar. "Raven?"

Raven looked up at him. Now she seemed surprised. "Oh, Gar...Hello." she said kind of bashfully.

"I didn't know you went to church, I didn't even know you were Catholic."

Raven looked around, as if this were some sort of secret, and she wasn't even suppose to be there. "Yeah, I converted." she said quietly. She looked at the floor and tried to go back to her seat, but Gar blocked her. He was determined to get some answers.

"What were you before?" Gar asked. He realized he was being a little nosey and this wasn't really the time or place. But he was so curious about her. She seemed like a total mystery, like the books. She had a dark past, and was really bent on keeping it in the past, but regardless Gar wanted to know everything about her. Raven didn't say anything for a moment. She twisted her black rosary beads around her arm.

"It doesn't matter." she said meekly. "Excuse me." she said stepping past him. She walked to the back of the isle and bowed her head. She appeared to being saying a Hail Mary. At the point Gar totally forgot about confessions. He almost raced back down the isle back to his seat.

He leaned in and whispered to a praying Kory. "Oh, my G-" he was interrupted by Kory's deep glare. "Word. Guess who I saw on my way to confessions?" Kory ignored him and went back to praying.

"Tell me later." she said irritable, opening one eye. Gar was at the edge of his seat for a half hour, he kept glancing at the back corner of the pews, just to catch a glimpse of Raven, but she always had her head down praying or reading the bible. Finally he couldn't take it anymore he had to tell Kory. "I saw Raven." he whispered

"What." Kory whispered rather loudly. Gar nodded towards the back of the church, gritting his teeth. "Great." Kory said uncaring.

"That doesn't interest you?"

"It'll interest me later, now leave me alone." she hissed. Now Kory was mad, which didn't happen to often. Gar knew to back off. So he waited until the end of the service to gossip. Kory just rolled her eyes, as they walked back into the sunlight, which slightly blinded them. Gar searched over the crowd of people for Raven.

"There she is." he said louder than he meant to. She was walking across the street. Her heels clicking, as she placed her bible in her pocket book. She was dressed mostly as she was in work, which made Gar wonder why she was so serious. She walked into a drug store across the street. He started to pull Kory in Raven's direction. "C'mon."

Kory stood her ground. "Gar, you can go stalk our business if you want to but I'm going to respect her privacy, not to mention her space. Gar shrugged, and decided not to heed Kory's warning, and looked both ways before crossing over the street. When we was there hebdashed into the store, and hid in an unknown isle. He whisked up the isle and peeked around the corner, and saw Raven standing at the back desk, where people picked up prescription medicines.

Raven turned around and Gar quickly turned to whatever the shelves were stocked with. Raven walked past him, holding a small brown bag. Gar waited in the isle until she past, before looking around for her. She was n a different isles flipping through a magazine. Not one of those superficial magazine where all they show is anorexic models, and stupid sex advice, but an intelligent magazine about poverty in Africa. She grabbed the magazine and the "New York Times." and went to the register. Gar lurked behind her watching her every move. Now he really was turning into a stalker.

Gar took a deep breath, and when he turned his head Raven was staring straight at him. "Oh, shit." he muttered under his breath.

"Gar?" Raven said surprised. She looked at him strangely. "Were you just following me?"

Gar gaped at her for a second. She sure did catch on quickly. "N-no, I was just picking up a few things." he said picking up whatever was on the shelf in front of him without looking. Raven choked a small laugh. He was holding a box of tampons. Gar blushed a bright red."Uh, Kory she just-"

"Right." Raven said stopping him while he was still ahead. Raven looked around, and Gar was paralyzed with embarrassment. With Raven the fun never stopped.

"Raven, can I ask you something?" he said. Raven looked at him through the corner of her eyes, and raised her eyebrows at him.

"Thats depends... what are you asking." Gar cupped his hands and took a deep breath. Raven waited nodding her head in his approval to ask her questions.

"H-how long have you been Catholic for?" Alright so it wasn't a real question, and Gar didn't really want to ask her anything, but that was the first thing he could think of. Raven searched her mind for an answer. Why was she answering this anyway?

"I converted to christianity about eight seven years ago around the time of my eightteenth birthday." she said meekly

"I thought you were twenty four." Gar said rubbing the back of his head. Raven rolled her eyes, but he could she had a had a grin hiding in the corner of her mouth. Gar really liked it when Raven was mysterious without trying. She would throw out simple signs that under her serious skin, she was a person. He could see it in her eyes and small smiles, and laughter.

"I am." she said "But my birthday is in a few weeks, so I rounded." she said shrugging. Gar just nodded. After yet another silence "Well, I must get going, but I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait-" Gar said. "Why don't I walk you home or to your car or whatever." Raven nodded, and Gar smiled at his achievement. He walked silently next to Raven just gazing at her. Her sleek, and curvy, but skinny body stalked the sidewalks with such grace and confidence. It was funny, Raven was as fierce as a cheetah, but under her exterior, deep into her soul, she was a shell of a person. She wanted to hide, because deep down she was afraid. Afraid people wouldn't like her, and truthfully she didn't like herself. Gar could see past her, and he like who she was. Smart, beautiful, strong, independent. What wasn't to like? None the less he wanted her to open up more.

"Why do you find me so fascinating?" Raven said out of nowhere. This caught Gar of guard. Was it really that obvious, that a part of him, that he didn't want to admit pined for her.

"I just want to get to know you." he said. His voice was raspy and unfamiliar to him. Raven stopped she looked at the ground and then at Gar.

"Why?" she asked as she started walkeing again only faster this time. "Why does everyone want to know me." of course this was a returicle question.

"Because Raven you are different. You have this stride to sacrifice and fight for what you want and still care for your friends-"

"Friends?" she interuptted with a scoff.

"Dick whatever. I know that want the best for everyoe. And you have a dark side because-"

"Because what? I have a past. I'll admit Gar, I did a lot of stupid irresponsible things when I was in high school. But don't you think you would have to if you were raised by my father. My father didn't give a damn about me, he still doesn't. Don't you think I'm tired of the whole world judging me because I was presented as daddy's percect princess back then, when the truth was I hated him just as much, maybe even more than everyone else. And I am so tired of people thinking I'm some sort of lost soul that needs to figured out. I don't need to be figured out. Not by you or Dick or anyone else." And with that she stomped off. Gar was stunned.

"I think that all chicks need to be figured out."

* * *

Monday 10:28

Dick walked into the office that Monday morning totally refreshed. It had been months since he felt this confident about a business deal. He was holding all the right cards, and everything was going exactly how he wanted it to go. All that needed to be done was Bruce make it official, and then he could rub it in Roy's face. He was surprised that Raven hadn't called him that morning to go over things, like she usually did. Maybe she lightened up. Dick was also excited to see Kory again. For reasons he just didn't know.

He walked into Raven's office to see her talking on the phone. "No, really I'm fine...I wish you wouldn't...no really you...you don't have to... I wish you wouldn't worry about me...I know but I'm fi-...yes...yes...I'm fine really, if I weren't alright I'd tell you trust me... I'm sure...I love you too bye."

Dick smiled at her. "Who was that?" he said playfully "Your boyfriend." Raven rolled her eyes and rolled at her chair back and pulled a file off the shelf.

"You are so childish. That was my mother." she said irritable. "As you may realize she calls me day and night."

Dick sat on the chair on the opposite side of Raven's desk. He leaned back and rubbed the sand out of his eyes. Suddenly he felt like he needed coffee. "Yeah, I was wondering why she calls so much."

Raven sighed as she ran an orange and blue highlighters across the files. "I know. She worries about me all the time, me living out here and her living in Santa Barbara. I've been ignoring her calls lately and it sent her into a worry tizzy. So I had to reassure her I wasn't dead." Raven continued running the highlighter. Dick took another file and made sure everything was right.

"So, the big two five is coming up in two weeks." Dick said his blue eyes scanning across the page. "Any big plans?" Raven didn't even lift her head. They did this every year. Dick would try to get her out the house, and have a "formal" birthday like dinner or a club. Raven just wanted to spend it alone in the bathtub with a good book and scented candles. This year she had a plan.

"Nah, I think maybe I'll visit my mother or maybe I'll go see Kia." Kia was a young woman battling AIDs in Africa. A couple years ago Raven decided to take her as sponsor. So Raven sent her money and paid for her to live. It was unusually noble of her.

"Then we have to do something fun this weekend." Dick said with a grin. Raven pretended not to hear this. She looked up past Dick, and stood up.

"You'll never guess who I ran into yesterday." Raven said as she made her way over to the fax machine. Dick closed the file he was looking at. and picked up a new one. "Who?" he said rather uncaring. Raven grinned, not that Dick could see her.

"Kory." she said simply. Dick's head snapped up at just the mention of her name. It was becoming increasingly hard to keep his cool about her, again for reasons he didn't know.

"Yeah," he said unimpressed. Raven took the file out of his hand and started to fax it. "How nice."

Raven realized that it was kind of a lie, technically she saw Gar. What the hell close enough. Raven took the rest of the files and saved it to her computer. Dick tried to read as much of them as possible before Raven snatched them away, then the phone rang, in which Raven automatically answered. "Richard Grayson's office, Raven speaking...Mr. Grayson is unavailable on that date... thank you."

Dick awaited Raven to say something about the phone call, but she didn't say anything for a moment. "That was Kitten Moth."

"Who?"

Raven spun in her chair slightly and rolled her eyes. "This stupid spoiled heiress, who is hot for you." she said. Now Dick rolled his eyes. "Shit, I left my binder in my car." he said scratching the side of his mouth. Raven ignored him, as her phone rang again. Dick got up to leave but, he could hear Raven's voice from the elevator.

"No mother, I'm fine!"

Dick shook his head as he awaited the elevator, it stopped with a ding. Without looking Dick walked into the elevator knocking into to someone. "I'm sorry." he said upon seeing that it was Kory. "Oh, Kory hi, I um didn't see you there."

Kory just smiled pleasantly. "How are you Dick?" Dick smiled at her. Gar whom Dick didn't see just rolled his eyes.

"So, aren't we going to settle some business some business?" Gar said. This broke Dick and Kory out of their in official grinning contest. Dick should them the way to Raven's office since, the meeting didn't start until eleven. When Raven asked what happened to the binder he was supposable getting he said he had to make sure Kory and Gar didn't get lost which of course meant he actually forgot all about the binder, and needed an excuse. Raven responded with a whatever, so Dick went back to his car, to get the binder. Kory excused herself to the bathroom, which left Raven and Gar alone, and in awkward silence.

"About Sunday-" Gar started finally.

"Forget about it." Raven said keeping her eyes on the computer. He shut his mouth until Kory arrived. To no one's surprise she came in with Dick giggle ling like little girls, about some inside joke they shared in the hallway. Raven kept rolling her eyes and seemed to be getting distracted. "I'm going for coffee." she said irritable.

"Me too." Gar said following her. To his surprise she didn't interject. Now it was Kory and Dick's turn for alone time. Kory ran her fingers across the side of Raven's desk, and whistled lowly.

"If this is your manager's office I can't imagine what your office looks like."

Dick grinned to himself. His own office was nowhere neat or organized as Raven's. She spent a weekend buying shelves and hatboxes, to organize everything, While Dick was always worried would just tack it to a bulletin board that wrapped around his office. The only other things he had were two chairs, a desk, a paper shredder, and a window.

"Let me guess," Kory said playfully "You have a poster of... Halle Berry in there."

Dick chuckled. "You know me all to well." he said sarcastically but in a kind way.

"Actually I don't know you at all." she said "You can't just be some workaholic, smart buisness savvy. Don't you ever get out there and do something fun? With all this work how do you find time to date or-"

"I don't." Dick said fiercely

"All work and no plat makes Dick a dull boy." Kory said as if she were making a point. Maybe she was right. Dick had been in a serious relationship since Barbara broke up with him a year and a half ago. He had been on a regular date in almost one year. He didn't realize it until just then, that he had worked every single day since he'd gotten the damn internship.

"C'mon the meeting is about to start."

* * *

The meeting had gone surprisingly well. Dick made all his points on finances and radicals. Bruce nodded occasionally but it was still hard to tell. Dick had to give it to Roy he'd chosen some sort of all natural chemical for house cleaning that was no poisoning. It would've been impressive just not next to StarFire Inc. Unfortunately for Roy he went after Dick. It was hard to tell who had the better project. Dick won major points getting Victor Stone to invest five million dollars to the cause, but Roy's product was safe for kids and effective. After literally hours the groups were called out of the room and told to come back in an hour. It was suspenseful and everyone was tired but couldn't wait to hear the deliberation.

Dick stared out of the window at Raven's window it was drizzling outside and really set a New York type of mood. It was already five O' clock! He was alone but it didn't bother him.

"Hey." Kory said meekly in the door way.

"I thought you went to the café with Gar." Dick said. Kory shrugged and slowly crossed over to where Dick was sitting. She towered over his seated form, and from his view she seemed lengthy. Her warm face glowed even though it was gray outside. She glowed with uber confidence, and a light hearted spirit that never seemed to stop. She was always happy, Dick liked that about her. He'd been around so many work addicts for so long it was refreshing to see someone who wasn't buried under files. "Are you nervous about the decision?"

Kory sat down on the window sill next to him. "I've been let down before. If we don't get this oh well, there will be other chances. I'll catch a break eventually."

"How admirable." he said. After that he didn't know what to say, Dick always made sure his work was perfect so he was hardly ever let down. When he was he would stop at nothing to do better the next time. "I think we did good, so you don't have to be worried."

Kory wasn't paying attention her glaze carried out to the window. She watched the drops of rain fall on the window pane, and wiggle out of her sight. "I bet you by the time we get out it'll stop raining."

"Kory that doesn't seem-"

"Watch." she said yet again smiling at him. No more words were exchanged between the two. Finally just Dick, Raven, Roy, and Garth were called into the conference room. It was the moment of truth. This was the big comeback that Dick needed. His stomach was in knots. Raven on the other hand was as cool as a cucumber. She handled defeat very well, not like Dick. Roy had this annoying smug look on his face, and damn it made Dick want to punch him in the face. Roy always acted like they should announce him the winner, so he could go screw the new intern in the copier room already.

"This was an especially hard decision." Bruce spoke slowly, he liked to build up dramatic suspense, not one of his finer qualities. "I personally am very impressed at your unique suggestion. Dick got Victor Stone at S.T.A.R Labs to invest with us very good. None the less you both have some bugs to work out in these projects if we're really going to do this. Anyway I am about to make someone's dreams come true and it either going to be Radlen Corp. or Starfire Inc. We have made our final decision and we want to go with a company that is groundbreaking and smart we're going with... Starfire Inc."

Dick held in the overpowering desire to jump on the table and do a victory dance, yelling "In you Face" at Roy. Luckily he kept his cool. Raven didn't look surprised at all, she mostly looked like can we please leave now. Roy was biting his lower lip, and Garth was hanging his head sighing deeply. Bruce congratulated them, said some things and they were dismissed. Kory was waiting anxiously outside the door, when the doors opened she jumped up from her seat. "Well?"

Dick held out his arms and had a smile cursing his face. "We got it." he said. Kory let out a squeal of excitement, and her and Gar started jumping up and down. It made Dick proud that people's lives were going to change because of him, with a whole lot of help from Raven too.

"We did it finally!" Gar almost yelled. Kory had the biggest smile on her face.

"Look it stopped raining." she said with enthusiasm. Dick's head snapped in the direction of the window it had indeed stopped raining. Raven didn't seem excited she actually looked a little sick. She was pale, and tired.

"I am going home early." she said Dick. Dick looked confused. she was fine a minute ago, but if she wasn't feeling well he wasn't going to force her to stay, especially since it wasn't necessary. She left quietly without another word, but Gar and Kory were too excited to notice. On the elevator down, and trip through the lobby all they talked about was their future restaurant.

"I have to go quit my job!" Gar said when they were outside. He ran off in the opposite direction screaming goodbyes to Dick and Kory. Kory again turned her attention to Dick.

"Care to celebrate with me?" she said. Dick grabbed her arm.

"Of course my dear, I'll personally drive you to anywhere your heart desires."

"Well, I am in the mood for ice cream." she said. It was adorable how she was like a little kid. "But can I drive." she said when they arrived at Dick Mercedes-convertible. He threw he the keys, Kory daintily clapped her hands as she got into the driver's seat. She revved up the engine, and they were off. The sun was shining and they were both happy, what more could they ask for?

"So we're does Kory get her ice cream from Ben and Jerry's or Frozen Cow Juice." Dick asked as she scanned the store on the sidewalks for a place for ice cream.

"Hmm, nah, you can't get good ice cream from New York no way." she said

"Then wher are-"

"New Jersey of course, you don't find ice cream in New York as you can in New Jersey." she said as if it we're nothing. If this were any other person Dick would have thought that they were crazy, but with Kory he didn't feel like she was crazy.

"So we're just going to drive down to New Jersey just like that?" he asked. Kory nodded. "What about work?"

"Screw it, it's not like your actually going do anything. Work is like school once you have a big test they go easy on you for a couple of days." Dick laughed he loved how spontaneous Kory was. So that's what he did she drove halfway, then stopped at a rest stop and switched places. The whole ride Kory and Dick discussed everything from boy bands to politics to which celebrity they'd pay to punch in the face.

"Now promise me you won't turn around and drive back to Manhattan, I mean we're already half way there let's not make this trip for nothing. "Dick smiled "I promise." he said. Kory then held out her pinky finger and told him to pinky promise. He found it hard not to laugh but, he did.

"Mr. Grayson do you always sit in the dark or do you ever let the sunshine in?" she said. Before Dick could ask her what that meant she pushed the button that pulled the top on his convertible down. The warm sun spilled in, and the wind wildly tangled in Kory's hair. She giggled at this. "Next step in you boring man recovery is dusting out your electronics." she turned on the radio and scanned over the stations pointing out to Dick what was not to be listened to by anyone for more than three minutes, and she stopped on Don't Let Me Down by No Doubt. "I love this song."

Gwen stefani's voice rang. 

"Oh, I can't believe that you're still around, Almost forgot how you let me down." Kory joined in. "Come on Dick you know the words. "Crying so deep, That I think I might die, Your mistakes I keep in the back of my mind, So hard to let go but I'm, comin' round, The scars are still fragile ,Don't let me down" she sang.

She then unbuckled her seat belt and raised her upper body so she was in the wind. Her hair twisted around her gorgeous face, like in the movies. Like Marilyn or Audrey only more modern, but just as glamorous.

So don't blow it  
No not a little bit  
Cause now you're all mine  
Don't you forget it  
Don't blow it  
Even a little bit  
Cause now you're all mine  
Don't you forget it

They finally drove up a dusty abandoned road, a few minutes from a strip of farm houses, it was dark outside by now. Goats, and sheep dogs openly wandered. There was a few people waiting at a small ice cream stand in the distance. "This is where you want to get ice cream?" Dick said

"Give it a chance." Kory said. And she was absolutely right. Kory got strawberry and Dick got chocolate. It was made of real milk and cream. Dick raved about and they even got seconds. In the field Dick grabbed a blanket out of the trunk of his car and they stared at the star invisible to them in New York.

"I have never seen or done anything so crazy in a long time." Dick said amazed they for no reason he left the state. He dropped all responsibility and work ethic he held. Raven would probably chop off his balls, for leaving with no notice. But he didn't care. He didn't care about anything, just the moment in the grass with the beautiful girl, and starry night.

"You should get out more." Kory said. "Before I moved I would sneak into the barn house and sleep with the chickens. My window was blocked with trees so I couldn't see the stars. So I snuck in the barn house. I even saved up my allowance and secretly bought a telescope, and I hid it in the hay." Kory giggled. "The barn house. So many memories."

Dick laughed. "Your fondest memories was in a barn?"

"Oh yeah." she said "I rode by first bike in there, I lost my first tooth, I punched my sister in the face for the first time, I even had my first kiss in there. A lot of first."

"Alright so tell me about your first kiss."

"Well I was fifteen and I met Bobby Plunk in church, so one hung out, one night on the homecoming dance we left early and came in the barn and..kissed."

Dick thought about it. "Now tell me about your last kiss."

"My last kiss? I can't remem-" before Kory could finish her sentence Dick kissed her clear on mouth. She was stiff at first, but totally relaxed herself, and melted against his lips. Dick then broke away from the kiss.

"Now tell me about your last kiss." he whispered in her ear.

Kory smiled at him for the millionth time that day. "Hm, it was fantastic."

* * *

Alright this is the longest chapter I have ever written ever, ever. There are probably a lot of mistakes and you know what I don't care. This is where the story picks up. 


	4. Love Stoned Part II

I'm pretty happy with the reviews so thanks ya'll! I think it's funny that a lot of you think this is funny because I never really considered myself a funny person (shrugs).

Disclaimer- I do not own Teen Titans, and also last chapter I did not own the song Don't Let Me Down. No Doubt does. I don't own Love Stoned/I think that she knows justin Timberlake does.

* * *

_-"Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary." Dead Poets Society,1989-_

Dick stretched out atop of the queen sized bed, and did something he hadn't done in a long time: took a breath of fresh air. Instead of going immediately back to the city he rented a room in a small bed and breakfast. Kory lay next to him sleeping soundly, fully dressed mind you. If Kory hadn't somehow kidnapped him yesterday he'd be yanking himself out of his own bed and be begrudgingly pulling himself to the office. He didn't care much about how risky it was and unprofessional, all he could think about was the amazing night he had with Kory.

She wasn't like him, she was a free spirit. She would do her hearts desires without a second thought. Dick on the other hand played it safe. He was more of a rule follower. Driving to New Jersey on a whim was so totally out of character for him. It felt good. He knew the feeling wouldn't last he had to go back to New York, and every thing had to go back to normal. As normal as things were for Dick. He woke Kory up and they checked out. They were both still tired but they needed to go, so Dick drove.

"I'll be lucky if Raven doesn't put her foot up my ass for not going to work today." he said to Kory.

Kory leaned against the window pain and yawned. "So, you and Raven your like friends or just business partners?"

"No, I've known Raven since we were...nine I think. We went through all the teenage rebellion shit together. When were young and stupid we even got high together."

Kory gasped. "You guys did drugs?!" Dick nodded as he switched lanes.

"I know we both had a problem with authority, not that Raven really had any. We are both very ashamed of that. It's funny, you know, we I was getting way too out of control she was the one who sat me down and told me I needed to stop but, she couldn't stop herself. She could save me but not herself." he said somberly.

"What happened?" Dick didn't say anything. The truth was really too grave to say, and it was Raven's story to tell not his. He and Raven were a lot alike in that sense. He was upset with Bruce, so he ran away a few times. Her father didn't pay any attention to her at all, so she did dangerous thing for attention and it didn't work. When Dick runaway to China she called him everyday and convinced him too come home, and he was the one to help her break her addiction to cocaine. They took turns playing super heroes to each other. They eventually smartened up and stopped doing bad things, and taking care of themselves. Dick started to crack under the pressure of Bruce, and Raven gave up on all hopes of her father ever caring.

"Something bad happened, and she just stopped." he said finally.

What happened was horrible unmentionable, Dick hadn't thought about it in a long time. It was a turning point for the both of them and they both agreed to quit drugs cold turkey, and so they did. They had been clean for over eight years now. Dick was especially ashamed. He knew that Bruce was very disappointed in his wild escapades as a teen. he had caused Bruce all kinds of worry, and discipline. He never wanted to do it again.

The rest of the ride home was quiet. Kory slept the whole time until Dick arrived at her apartment. He decided it was too late to go to the office now and it was best just to go home, and get some rest. He would deal with whatever turmoil was going on tomorrow. Wow this was the first time he'd played hokey from work. And with Kory it almost defiantly seemed positive it would not be his last.

* * *

Dick came into the office, the next day, unprepared for life to go back to the way it was. Sure he'd only been gone two days, but still he had fun and most of all for thr first time in no one knows how long he relaxed and enjoyed himself. Going back to work just seemed like hell, compared to New Jersey. Dick rode the elevator, and kept sighing deeply. The annoying ding of the elevator, topped off, and Dick sludge down to Raven's office he could hear her voice from outside her door. She was apparently on the phone, speaking in German. 

"Das wird gerade schlechter. Mein Haar fällt aus, die Arthritis ist wirklich schlecht, und ich bin mehr müde als üblich. Ich weiß nicht was zu tun, ich kann nicht meinen Job gerade verlassen. Ich will dazu nicht, aber wenn das schlechter wird, weiß ich nicht was noch zu tun... Ja kann ich in zwei Wochen eingehen. Für das Wochenende. Danke, auf Wiedersehen." and the she hung up.

It was weird to Dick, that Raven would be speaking German on the phone, she sounded concerned, but he wasn't about ask. Dick stood up straight and walked in. Raven's head snapped up the second he came in. She looked very, very mad. "Richard Grayson I should kick your ass right now!"

She said Richard, she was defiantly mad. Raven stood up from her chair, causing Dick to cower in the doorway. "Do you know how much covering I had to do for you yesterday? You didn't leave a message, no phone calls, you didn't even pick up your cell phone. You had better have a fucking explanation, and damn good one, for making me lie to Bruce!"

"Raven," Dick said slowly waving the air in front of him, thinking that somehow that would calm her down. As she slowly stalked towards him. "I can explain, I was out-"

"Out?" Raven repeated menacingly, slowly making her way toward Dick, who was now backed against a wall. Raven got close to his face. "Let me tell you something Dick, I don't want to hear your excuses and personally I couldn't give a damn what the hell you were doing yesterday. If you were sneaking around in some hotel room having a threesome with two other guys, keep it to yourself, because I don't want to know. However if you ever abandon your responsibilities again with no notice I will hunt you down, and gut you. Is that clear?" Raven turned away from Dick. He was shocked, just then Raven seemed like lady Godmother.

He didn't know what to say now. He was afraid saying the wrong thing would only further anger Raven, although that didn't seem possible. He rubbed the back of his head and reluctantly sat down in the chair across from her. Raven looked as though nothing happen. But why shouldn't she? She got her point across. "I am going to go down to Kory and Gar's place and give them their pay advancement." she said shutting down her computer.

"I'll go." Dick automatically offered, upon hearing the name Kory. Raven raised her ear brow at him. He said too much. Raven was sharp, and now she knew something was going on between Dick and Kory. She smirked at Dick.

"So that's what you were doing." she said nodding "OK, I see."

Dick's mouth was slightly open, she caught him. Should he fess up, or try and play it off? "I-I don't know what you're talking about. Raven rolled her eyes, as she streamed by him. Dick took a deep breath, maybe him and Kory should just lie low for awhile. Then Raven's head popped in the doorway again, which startled Dick.

"Are you too tired to go to the gym today?" she asked. Raven and Dick always went to the gym on Tuesdays. Dick almost forgot, he closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair.

"Yeah." he said "I'll be there.", and then she was off. Rickard leaned back into in his chair, he saw an envelope sticking out from under Raven's desk. He supposed Raven, dropped it on her way out. Curiosity over Dick. He knew this probably, defiantly a bad idea, but what she didn't knew wouldn't hurt her. He looked around to make sure that she wasn't coming back before he snatched up the envelope. It was already opened so this technically wasn't illegal. it read :

Dear Raven,

I am sorry to hear about your latest problems in your personal life. I am sure it is difficult to deal with your financial needs on such a low income, working as an assistant to Richard Grayson, is not the cast of advocation I would have hoped for you to choose for your profession. I would have thought that you have taken in my favor as a child to come work for me. To my dismay you took after your mother. I gave you everything you needed as a youth, and I find it very disrespectful that you have continued your estrangement from me, and have not called me or had the descents to communicate with me at all.

I am however willing to overlook your rebellion and give you a second chance, as I am your father and it is my duty to do so, and to make sure that you are well taken care of in the manner of my choosing. Additionally you _will _inherit my fortune, and empire, and the days when I am unable to but, how are you to do so if you are not properly instructed on how Roth Corps, is in process? It was my optimism that you would join me, as my apprentice, at the time that you graduated from Harvard, but by the time you were all but seventeen you terminated whatever relationship we had. It has been almost eight years since I have seen or heard from you, and your will most be done promptly after your thirtieth birthday, so your apprenticeship most be started very soon.

You mother had kept me updated in your latest woes, and for that I send my deepest sympathy. I know that it was your mother's dream that maybe some day we could have some sort of relationship, that her and I never really had. I am trying, but it is critical that you try also. I am very disappointed with the decisions you have made, daughter. A different part of me however is concerned that if you do not take up on my recommendation you will not know how to defend yourself against my rivals, who may be after you. You do not need to bee afraid, for I will not let them hurt you again. As I am sure that you do not think that I know about what happened that that lead to the events, that occurred in Italy, eight years ago.

I am also sure that you think that I don't know about the events that happened as a teen, including the partyinng, drinking, engaged cocaine use, and promiscuity. You can imagine my surprise when I hear about things that have occirred since we last spoke like your long term monagamous relationship with a Bristish boy named Malcolm Warren (had I known about it I would have researched him). I know that it was your mother's wish they you and I share the relationship that she and I never had. I am trying for my sake, but that goes both ways and I need your fill participation and cooperation. But if you decide not to join me, it matters not for in time you will joing me.

-Tristian Roth

Dick stared at the letter in disbelief. What kind of jerk would send his own daughter this type of letter. He suddenly started to feel a little dirty reading this letter. It was personal. Then Bruce and his entourage walked into the office, probably on their way to another meeting, because they were chattering like hens. Dick held the letter behind his back, stood up straight.

"Hello Richard." Bruce said to Dick.

"Hello Mr. Wayne how are you." Dick realized how kiss ass he sounded, but it was only Bruce.

"I'm fine but," Bruce leaned in closer to Dick so that the others couldn't hear him. "How are you. Did the surgery go well?"

Dick was confused. He squinted his eyes. "Surgery sir?" Bruce shook his head.

"Raven told me about the warts and I hope you'll be a little more careful next time." he said. Dick turned a bright red color. The next time he saw Raven, he was going to kill her. "I w-will sir." Dick said wondering if he should go along with this. Bruce nodded and then he was off again. Always so busy these days, they never had time to talk to each other like normal people. even since this internship started they'd had been so busy, and spent barely any time together. Sometimes Dick wondered if it was worth it but those were thoughts that quickly left his mind.

* * *

Raven took a cab to Kory and Gar's house. These days she just didn't feel like driving. The apartment was pretty shabby, but Raven was just going to give them the check and leave. She had to go meet Dick at the gym anyways. She stepped over some drunk guy on the stairs. Finally she made it to their door. The numbers were falling off, and the door bell was broken. Raven knocked on the door. 

Gar looked through the peep hole in the door, and gasped. He quickly straightened his shirt and and brushed back his hair. He pulled a small bottle of breath mint, and spritzed it into his mouth. He cleared his throat before opening the door. "Oh Raven, hi come in."

Raven stepped into the apartment and stood past the door. Gar hopped on the edge of his toes,with hie hands in his pockets. "So what do I owe this lovely visit?"

Raven sighed and set her brief case down and the floor. "I just came by to give and Kory your advance check." She pulled two envelopes out of her pocket and handed it them to Gar."Well, I have to go."

As Raven turned to leave Gar grabbed her hand, which caught her off guard. Gar blushed. "Uh, can I buy you coffee?"Raven bit her lower lip and shook her head. "Well, I feel awful about how things went on Sunday, and I want to make it up to you. Beside you have helped us so much, it's only fair."

Raven sighed, and thought about it for a minute. She could go for some coffee right about now, but she was on a tight schedule, and coffee with Gar was not on it. How about a rain check, I'm meeting Dick soon."

"Oh." Gar said, Raven gave him a sympathetic look before going out the door. Gar sighed as he slowly made his way towards Kory's room. She had been asleep all day, which was very unlike her. He knocked on her door."Kory?" he said before entering her room. She was laying on her bed under her messy, tangled sheets, with her pillow over her face, and she was fully dressed. The room was dark and vampirish. "Kory." Gar said again. Kory rolled over on her side and grumbled something. Gar sighed as he stepped on the side of her bed frame. He stepped on the bed, and started jumping up and down. "Kory! It's time to get up!"

A startled Kory fell out of the bed, sheets and all. Kory groaned agriliy. "Sorry Kor, I had to get you up." Gar said stepping off the bed and onto the floor.He pushed the letter to her face. "Look it's for you." he said.

Kory stood up and switched on the light. Gar plopped down in a moon chair next to the door, as his envelope fell to the floor. Kory saw the sadness in his eyes, He did this when he wa upset. He would mope around and sigh deeply. It was rather pathetic really. "Gar what's wrong?" Kory asked. Gar didn't say anything. "Is it Tara?" Gar shook his head no. "Stress?" no. "Hang over?" no. "Is it woman troubles?" Gar didn't move. "Hmm, Oh my Gawd! You have it hot for someone!" Kory yelled out of absolutely nothing.

Gar stuttered. "N-no. What would give you that idea?" Kory trolled over to Gar, looking at him through the corner of her eyes, accusingly. She leaned on the arms of the chair he was sitting in and came so close to his face they were almost touching noses. Kory and Gar sliently stared at each other not blinking. Kory was really good at that, Gar, however, eyes were started to wince. After about one minute, he blinked. "Shit." Gar cursed under his breath.

"Aha! It is a girl!" Kory yelled backing up from him. and standing up straight. "Is it someone I know?"

Gar rubbed his eyes "Kory-"

"Is it that college girl Amanda?"

"No it's-"

"No, wait, wait, wait I'll get it." Kory said stroking her chin "Is it Gia from the grocery store?"

"It's-"

"Rachella, from that coffee shop. I mean honestly Gar, Rachella? You lack some serious judgment. From now on I'm going to pick your girlfriends. You are a good man and you deserve the best, and Rachella is not exactly getting married in white if you know what I mean. Seriously she is like a virgin eight times removed this week." Kory went on with her senseless rambling. As she was Gar slipped out the room and Kory didn't notice.

He pushed open the door to his messy room. Honestly he was like a college student. Clothes were thrown everywhere, and dirty laundry mixed in with clean laundry. Raven's office was immaculate, and he was sure the rest of her life was like that too. Gar picked up some clothes and started to throw them from his bed into a laundry basket in the corner. He peeled back his sheets and neatly made his bed. He looked around at anything else that needed to be done. There were pictures of half naked bikini models hung everywhere, like he were some adolescent teen. Reluctantly he began to pull off the posters. He rolled them up and carelessly threw them into a pyramid in the corner. Wow that was the cleanest his room had ever been, and it only took him all of four minutes. Kory then walked into his room.

"Gar, I'm sorry. I'll be more attentive and-" Kory stopped short upon seeing his clean room. Her mouth hung open. "Gar, is..is that the floor I see?" she said amazed. Gar rolled his eyes.

"Geeze Kor, can't a grown man clean his room without making a spectacle of it!" he said rather angry.

"Alright, I'm sorry. I'm not good at being supportive right now." Gar's expression softened. Kory sat down next to him, and he put his head on her shoulder as she stroked his hair in a motherly way. They were silent for a moment, and then it hit Kory. Her mouth hung open again, only this time it was wider. She pushed Gar away from her shoulder so she could see his face. "You like Raven!"

"How do you know? Is it that obvious?" Gar said miserable.

"Raven, is like the cleanest person I've ever met in my life. It's funny how different you are whenever she comes around, and now all of a sudden you want to clean your room? So I guess, yeah it is that obvious."

Gar laid on his stomach, and out the pillow over his head. "Ah, Kory you wouldn't understand. I've never met a girl like her. She's mysterious, and she has her own way of...I don't know art or something. I can tell she's some sort of artist, like a writer or whatever. Anyways she has a way of her own and she takes control and she's strong, but behind that independence is someone who is sad and lost and she doesn't want to admit it. Plus she has a past. A past that no one but, Dick knows about, and you know how I like troubled girls that needed to be fixed. I don't know Kor, in a way, I feel like I've... found her but, she doesn't want to be found."

Kory didn't know what to say, Gar was never so serious in his life. "Damn Gar, I don't know you were so deep."

Gar shrugged. "I know what will make you feel better, see what it was your lover dropped off." Gar smirked as Kory handed him his own envelope. "On the count of three one-"

"Two."

"Three!" they said in unison. They both ripped off the top of the envelope and anxiously pulled open the check. Kory opened hers a little faster and screamed when she saw the amount of money. Gar was about a second behind her, and he just gaped.

"This is a check for two hundred thousand dollars!" Kory screamed jumping up and down. "We can buy a new apartment!"

"We can get a car!" Gar joined in Kory happy dance.

"We can go on vacation!"

"We can invest in the automatic ear cleaner!" Gar shouted. Kory stopped jumping and gave Gar a strange and confused look. "It'll catch on." he insisted. Kory rolled her eyes.

"Lick it up Gar, this is just a small taste of our new life." Kory said giggling. She had no idea.

* * *

Dick leaned back on the yoga ball and steady rose as he did the his hundredth stomach crouch. Raven kneeled behind him, and steadied the ball. They did this every week together, for the past six years. It was very rehearsed. First they'd do stair masters, then treadmills, then yoga ball, and finally the pouching bag. They both liked to incorporate both of their styles into their workouts. 

"So...we...went for... ice cream." Dick said through his tightened abs. Raven rolled her eyes for the millionth time that day. All day long she had to hear about Kory's electrifying smile, and charismatic personality. It was wearing old on her, and she was resisting the urge to kick the ball right from under him. "And we-"

"I know, I know. You drove out to New Jersey and got the best ice cream on God's green earth, and there we shared a mutual mental connection, with nothing physical at all. You told me this a million times, give it a fucking rest." Raven said quoting Dick.

"Dick stayed up from his latest crouch. "Raven, is that a little indisposition, I sense?" Dick said playfully. Raven then stood up and kicked the ball right from under him. Dick fell to the ground and his arm flew out wildly hitting a mirror. "What the fuck was that for?" Dick growled lowly.

"For being an ass." Raven said crossing her arms. "I thought you knew me better than that. I am not jealous of your-your fling with Kory Anders!" Dick stood up and glared deeply at Raven.

"It's not a fling, it's a-"

"Glorified bond, created by the heavens that even the angels envy. Yeah I heard it. Gawd, Dick you sound like a poem." With that Raven turned around and started to storm away.

"Wait, Raven I'm sorry." he said grabbing her arm. Raven turned and gave him an well -I'm-waiting look. "That was out of line, I shouldn't have said that. "Raven rolled her eyes and pressed her back against the yoga ball, as Dick balanced it. "It's just ever since I last saw her I can't stop thinking about her. And when I'm with her I want to be with her, and when I'm not I want to e. It's... I don't know I've have never felt this way about anyone before."

"Well..don't get to into it." Raven said rather quietly. "Well. if you.. miss her.. so much.. today is..your..lucky day."

"What do you mean?"

Raven pointed in the direction towards the reception desk. Low and behold there was Kory standing there talking to the secretary. She was wearing a pink and purple sweat suit. "Kory?" Dick whispered under his breath, he stood up and completely forgot about Raven. The ball rolled over and Raven fell onto the floor, on her stomach. Dick stepped over her and hid behind a pole so Kory couldn't see him. When she had her back turned he sat on a bench and picked up a forty pound weight. Then Kory spotted him.

"One hundred thirty-seven, one hundred thirty-eight, one hundred thirty nine-" Dick said his head dropped.

"Dick?" Kory said approaching him. Dick lifted his head.

"Oh Kory, I didn't imagine I'd see you here." he said.

" Gar and I work her with teens sometimes. He's around here somewhere. You?" Dick dropped the weight on the floor and stood up.

"Oh, Raven and I come here.." then his voice trailed off. "Oh my Gawd, I left Raven somewhere." Raven stalked up to Dick with a slightly angry look on her face.

"Thanks for dropping me." she said. "Hi Kory."

Then there was a crash, and all of their attention turned to the right direction. There were a bunch of towels laying on the ground. There was a figure hidden by an arm full of towel trying to sneak away. It was obviously Gar. Raven was suppressing her laughter. Dick was giggling like a little school girl, and Kory had a very confused look on her face. Gar knew his escape attempt was futile and just dropped the towels on the ground, and slowly made his way towards everyone else.

"Hey guys." he said miserable when he arrived. He avoided looking at Raven. Kory shook her head at his pathetic ness. Suddenly Raven's cell phone started to vibrate on her pocket, she pulled it out and looked at it.

"Excuse me, I have to take this." with that she went to behind a pair of glass. Gar watched her she past him. She didn't know it but he stole a whiff of her hair. It smelled like jasmine and white tea. She was pacing, and appeared to be upset. She crossed one arm, and kept moving back and forth. Then she came back. Her eyes were a little watery, which of course she tried to hide. "I have to go."

"Is everything alright." Dick asked.

Raven put on a slight, fake smile. "Yeah, I just have to leave."

"I'll take you home." Gar offered. He could see the look of unsure ness on her. She thought about it for a minute. Why was Gar trying so hard to get to her anyways? She nodded and then headed towards the women's' locker room, to change. Gar merrily skipped to the men's' locker room.

Kory sighed. "Those two. So class is cancelled today and you just lost your sparring partner so you want to.. I don't know catch a movie or something?"

"I'd love to." he said. Wow was this another date?

Dick showered and got dressed and Kory changes out of her sweat suit. They walked to the movie theatre hand in hand discussing thing like that crazy pop star we all used to love until she went berserk, and what kind of suit were the most unpleasant to wear. Then they went to a movie, and if you think it was as innocent as it sounds that's because it was.

* * *

Gar walked down the street on the crowded, sunny New York sidewalk. Raven was oddly silent. She never looked at him. Gar supposed she had a lot on her mind. He just shuffled his feet, and walked along side her. It was then he saw a little coffee shop and the corner across the street. 

"You want to know something?" Raven said unexpectedly. It caught Gar off guard again, so he just stared at her with his mouth hung open. "When I was on the phone I got some bad news, but I didn't have to leave."

This gave Gar a little more confidence. Raven didn't have to invite him to come with her, especially if she just didn't want to be around people. Here they were alone, and free, until tomorrow morning. Gar was not spontaneous like Kory, though. He was going to advantage of this opportunity to impress her and milk it for all it was worth. "So you want to get that coffee?"

Raven stared at him for a quick, second, and nodded. They waited on the opposite side of the street and waited for the traffic light to allow them to cross, the street, with the other civilians. After they crossed, Gar and Raven reached for the handle of the door at the same time. Gar's hand brushed over Raven's. An electric shock ran across the back of her hand, and through Gar's fingers. Gar took his hand off Raven's and laughed nervously. When they were in the mood of the coffee shop didn't go well with Gar. It was very artsy, like those places smart, college yuppies hung out to read books, and discuss literature. Gar was more of a go to wild party and meet some drunk chick kind of guy. But he was doing this for Raven, he was going to make sure she was damn well worth it. So ordered a green tea latte, and had never even tasted anything that sounded like that, but he tried a white tea cappuccino. They sat in total silence. Raven didn't really drink, she just kept staring into her cup and stirring it. Gar was repulsed someone could even drink a cappuccino, and abandoned it in total.

"Why do you like to be around me?" Raven asked still not looking at Gar. "I know I'm not a lot of fun to hang around, and not too many people get me."

Gar was glad she was finally speaking, this was his chance to get her to open up. "That's because you don't want them to." he said.

Raven dropped her spoon. "You want to get to know me?" Gar shook his head eagerly. This was new to Raven. A lot of people were very judgmental about her. Whether it be, because of her father or because she was a pretty dark, they weren't really interested in a real mental connection with her. Then her cell phone rang again, but this time it was a text message. "Oh, I have to get home, but you can come with me if you want to."

This was a definite yes. Outside Gar had trouble getting a cab to stop, then Raven stepped in and did it in an instance. "How are so good at doing that?" he asked when they were inside the cab.

"I have lived in New York most of life, I've had practice." she said. Gar tapped his fingers on the window ledge. Theses are the things that freaked him out, girls that were more experienced than him, and girls how were more dominate than him. Raven was most defiantly the kind of woman who like to be in control, and oddly enough he was OK with that.

"So did you have a childhood, or were you born than straight off to college?" he said with a smirk. Raven gave him a small laugh.

"My parents divorced before I was born, and I lived with my mother until I was eight, and my father sent me to boarding school, and when I was twelve I went back to my mother until I was fourteen. She got this job she had been working her whole life for and I couldn't let her not take it so, I had to go back to my father's and of course he sent me straight back to boarding school, and then in the second semester of my senior year he transferred me back home, and I don't know why." Raven said shrugging. She sighed and twisted the end of a piece of her hair. "So to answer your question I guess I really didn't have much of a childhood, I was always stuck between my parents."

This made Gar feel really bad about all the terrible thought he had about her before they had met. He assumed she would be just like her father, an be a spoiled, selfish little brat. Turns out she had it hard, like a lot of people. She was a human being with human emotions, well sort of. He knew they were there and he was going to fish them out of her. "Is that why you converted religions?"

Raven was surprised by this question and didn't really have an answer, so she didn't say anything. "Because you didn't want to be like your father?" Gar finished.

Raven looked out of window, and sighed before turning back to Gar. "I converted for a lot of reasons. I was really out of control as a teen, and enventually it caught up with me. But yes, that is part of the reason I converted."

The cab stopped in front of Raven's apartment. Raven actually looked disappointted. She fiddled with the strap of her bag. She then pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled something down on it. "Here's my number... in case you have any questions about the..the deal... or something." she said.

Score!  
Score!  
Score!

Gar accepted the note, and watched as Raven disappeared into her house. Gar leaned his head back. "Yes." he said quietly to himself, as the cab slowly pulled away. Gar's hand ran over the seat, and he felt something. He opened his eyes and looked up. It was Raven's cell phone. Gar looked at this as if it were the holy grail. he stopped the cab, paid the driver, and hoped out. He was going to return the phone, but first he was going to have some fun. He leaned against the door. He found Raven's address book. "Hm, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Karen Breecher, Kory Anders, Malcolm Warren, Mom, Zacharias Sanders."

Now Gar knew something, either Malcolm or Zacharias was an ex-boyfriend of Raven and he had all intentions of finding out. He went to the front desk , and had the repentant ring him up. As he was walking down the empty hallways he was feeling more anxiety. Maybe because he didn't know what he was going to say to her, or maybe because her house was so empty. Figures Raven would choose to live at an apartment with virtually no people. Then he realized something. Raven gave him, her number, and went out for coffee with him. If she didn't want to see him she would have blown him off long ago. When he knocked on the door, Raven automatically opened the door.

"Thank you so much." she said. Gar handed her th pone and put his hands in his pockets. "You want to come in?"

"Yeah." Gar said a little too quickly. He entered Raven's apartment he not to his surprise it was very organized, clean and modern. There wasn't too or too little furniture just enough, and hung from the walls were many renassiance paintings. They were jung everywhere on the walls. They not specifically themed, but they were beautiful. "So your an art fan?" Gar said as he examined the paintings.

"Oh," Raven said "Yes." Whenever people came into her house they were all fascinated with the many paintings. She personally didn't think she had that many only about thirty. "These are just replicas, but I love them. They tell as tory of sadness and rebellion, and their story is a mystery."

Gar was looking at a painting of Jesus on a cross. Their were a lot of people surrounding him. Some on horses, others on crosses as well, and there was a woman hugging the cross. "That one is called 'Crucixion' it's by Gerolamo di Romano." Raven said.

Gar continued to walk along the dining room and gazed at the paintings. There were paintings of angels, monks, lovers, semi, mostly nude woman with only long hair covering their private parts. he was sure it was artistic, and not perverted. Well for Raven it was, she was just mature like that. There was one painting that caught his eye. It was a girl crying under a tree, appearently in the woods next to a river. There were angels around her playing a harp. Gar was mystified by it, he could stop staring at it. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen on a canvas. "Who painted this one."

Raven came next to Gar. "I did." she said.

"You did?!" Gar said disbelivingly. "It's gorgeous."

"Hey if your so interested in art why don't you come to an art show with me tonight? It's called the Break of the kiss, and this really amazing artist is preveiwing his latest works for one night only, and he hasn't done a show in two years, so I'm really excited to buy some of his work. He painted that one." she said looking at a portait of a boy in a renassiance type of outfit giving a dog a bone, while pilling a wooden duck on a string.

"I'd love to." Gar said. His eyes wondered over to a black grand piano outside of the living room. It was im great condition, and the top was covered in framed pictures. A lot of them were Raven as a young teen with her mother, she looked happy. "Can you play?" Gar asked as he tapped on a few notes.

"Uh, I'm a little rusty but I'll see what I can do." Raven sat down on the small piano bench, She sighed and then quickly started to play The Entertainer. Her fingers moved very quickly and she hit every note perfectly. A little rusty my ass.

"That was so great." Gar said when she was finished. Raven shrugged. "So when did you buy this thing?"

"I didn't." she said dusting off one of the keys. "Malcolm bought it for me a few years ago, it cost something like seventy grand." she said irritable.

"Malcolm?" Gar said suspiciously. Raven picked a picture and held it to her face. Then she rolled her eyes at the very mention of his name. She had been very good at keeping him, and his name out of her home for the past three months and now she was going to have to bring it up again. She felt a little annoyed that Gar had been breaking down her safety wall, and get to know her. She was annoyed mostly at herself for letting him.

"Yeah, he was my last boyfriend. He was a magician like Criss Angel." Gar searched his mind. Where had he heard of that name before. "Anyways so you're in for that art show tonight?"

"Totally." Gar said simply.

"Alright so meet me at the gallery tonight at eight." Raven said handing him the invitation. It had a picture of a pair of red, red, red lips with a crack going through them, like broken glass. It said Break of the Kiss above it. Inside was a biography of the artist who's name was Paolo Kashu, and details about his latest work and about his inspiration. As Gar left he couldn't stop thinking about the painting Raven did. It was full of such pain and sadness. Like she said art tells a story. Hers had a story and he was going to find out what it was.

* * *

"That movie was boring." Dick said as he walked down the dark streets of New York with his arm around Kory's shoulder. They had gone to a movie but there was an independent movie festival an they saw a movie by a student about some guy and a girl who fell in love in a small town. Kory found it to be an interesting portrayal of forbidden love in a 'modern' society, and the desire to rebel against rules of thing that were not accepted. Not surprisingly she cried at the end. Dick fell asleep. 

They were currently walking down Time Square where the street were littered with artsy film makers and their friends. The beautiful light were on and Time Square was as beautiful as ever. " I think it was romantic." Kory said with a playful pout.

Suddenly a whole bunch of people got into the street and started dancing like maniacs. "What's going on?" Kory asked. That's when they heard the pulsing music booming from a large video screen hung on a billboard. It was a flashy advertisement for Justin Timberlake's tour. Music played from the screen, and it was so loud it felt like the ground was vibrating.

Those flashing lights come from everywhere  
The way they hit her I just stop and stare  
She's got me love stoned  
Man I swear she's bad and she knows  
I think that she knows

Dick and Kory continued their walk. Kory sung the lyrics as they went along. Dick was just happy that Kory was happy, which was a strange sensation. He had never felt light before. Before he met Kory he felt like he literally was carrying around a seven thousand pound weight right on his shoulders. But tonight his shoulders were feather weight. He was shocked at his appearance. His tie was loosened, his jacket was unbuttoned and wrinkled. He had never done that before. He was so tight knit it was scary. He always lived by his little black book, so he was always in order, and always on time.

"Let's go back to my house." he whispered into Kory's ear. Kory smiled to herself. She seemed like a very clean, good girl, and basically was but she had her needs to.

"Don't you have work tomorrow. I mean Bruce is signing our contract-"

"Don't worry, I won't keep you up too late." And that was all Kory needed. Honestly she was pretty hot for Dick right now.

She shuts the room down  
The way she walks and causes a fuss  
The baddest in town  
She's flawless like some uncut ice  
I hope she's goin' home with me tonight

As soon as they were out of time square, Dick got a cab and told the driver to hurry. Kory put her hand on his cheek, and he tangled his hand in her hair, as she leaned back, and the kissed and whispered sweet nothings to each other the whole ride home. Now Kory wasn't so sure Dick could keep his promise about not keeping her up too late.

* * *

Gar walked up the stone steps of a very elite looking gallery. It was small looking because it was next to a very large library. The light flashed from the open window and doors. As soon as he entered the building, a girl in a black uniform (probably a waitress) handed him a flute glass full of champagne. 

The room was all white and had cubic shelved in the middle of the room. There were paintings hung everywhere and placed in the cubes of the shelf. Gar walked around pretending to look at the paintings. He felt so out of place with the large crowd of intellect. Then he saw Raven looking at a painting of a mermaid on the beach, and a medievel boy gazing at her.

"Oh, hello again." she said turning her attention to Gar. The glass was twisted around her wrist and she held it up to her chest.

"Hey." Gar said. "See anything you like?" Raven was distracted by the portrait of the mermaid. She carefully looked over it at every detail. She felt something about this painting and Gar couldn't figure it out. Maybe art just wasn't his thing. Buying art was like wine tasting. You had to be interested, you have to test it out, and you had to check out everything else before you swallow. Having experience made this a whole lot less boring.

"I think," Gar started. It was at that moment Gar decided to become an art lover. If Raven liked art, he liked art. "I think it represent the cruelty and observation a stranger feels in a new world, and how being different makes people feel like an outsider."

Raven opened her mouth to say something but was stopped by the voice of a thick German accent. "Yah, that iz exactly whot I vaz thinkink ven I painted this. Eat vas a mahster piece." said the voice a small blonde man. His platinum blonde hair was cut like Victoria Beckham, and covered his eyes. He was wearing black, leather pant, and sky high boots.

"Uh, Hi?" Gar said confused.

"Gar, this is Paolo,, he's the artist I vas, I mean was telling you about." Raven said rimming the edge of her glass. Gar rubbed the back of his hand.

"Oh Raven you like a zis? I call it Medial Maiden." he said admirable gazing at his own work of art. "Ich wurde durch einen chuch begeistert, den ich in Deutschland sah. Das war alt, und klassische Carolina liebte es sie will sich dort verheiraten. Anyways ich war die Art sehr glücklich, wie das herauskam."

"What did he say." Gar whispered to Raven. She gave a small laugh and leaned into Gar's ear.

"He was speaking German, he said he was inspired by a church in Germany, and he is getting married there." she whispered. "Das ist schön. Ich denke, dass das derjenige ist, den ich will, aber ich werde noch eine Zeit brauchen, aber wenn ich es will, können wir einen Preis verhandeln." she said to him. Paolo then turned and spoke to others.

"What was that?" Gar said. Raven told him she just told Paolo that she wanted to buy the painting. Raven wondered around looking for art, while Gar felt strnge, and hot. The lights were huge. Gar abandoned Raven and went outside for some air. He finished off his champagne and sat on the steps. He inhaled the fresh air. He wasn't out too long before a sleek figure sat down next to him.

"You're not into this are you?" Raven asked. Gar laughed.

"No, I'm not."

Raven stretched out and sat her glass down. "That's OK. I bought the painting so we can go." She didn't need to say another word. Gar stood up so fast Raven didn't even realize it. He took her hand and gently pulled her up. Gar again tried and failed at getting a taxi to pull over. Raven watched with much pleasure s he struggled for ten minutes until she took over, and of course she got it on the first try. Raven yawned when they got in the cab and she leaned her head on Gar's shoulder. They silently rode in the car until they got to Raven's house. Gar found it strange that Raven was so tired since it was only nine-thirty. He walked her to her door, with his hand in hers but she didn't seem to notice.

"My apartment." Raven said as she got to her door. She lingered before she slowly reached inside her bag and got out her keys. Instead of unlocking the door, she tussled it in her hand. Gar saw this in a movie once. When a girl jingled the keys, she wanted the boy to kiss her. If she didn't want a kiss, she would have gotten the keys and went inside.

Gar was frozen in his place. Raven still played with the keys. "Good night." Gar said quickly before turning around and walking back down the hallway. Raven looked disappointed. She sighed as she slowly put the key in the key hole.

Gar was half way down the hallway, mentally kicking his own ass. Why? Why? Why? Why couldn't he kiss her? He knew she wanted it and he just froze up. Gar turned around to see Raven still at her door. "Raven?"

"Yes." she said automatically. Gar then quickly walked back up to her, and stood in front of her for a second. Then he kissed her. Raven was surprised but quickly got over it. she dropped the keys and relaxed her hands and his arms. Gar pressed his hands on her neck. They stood there kissing in front of her door, for two full minutes. Gar then broke away from the kiss, and then bolted down the hallway. Raven stood blushing to herself, and Gar was left giggling like an idiot in the elevator.

* * *

Kory lay in Dick's warm bed in his arms. He had his shirt off she had on nothing but black, lacey lingerie. They had been passionately making out in his dark bedroom for the past hour. Dick's hand laced her, as he kissed his way from her neck back to her lips. Kory threw her head back slightly while he lightly bit her collar bone. Kory was feeling more anxious as they got deeper. 

Kory sat up and pushed Dick on his back. She slowly, and teasingly undid his belt. Dick gave a small alugh. Kory's hair came over her right eyes, and her hair shone in the dark. She kissed Dick six pack, and climbed on top of him. "Damn it, Kory." Dick whispered to her.

She swirled in head around, and looked slightly stripperish, but Dick didn't mind. She laid back on her side and let Dick's eyes wonder over her body. He locked their lips again, as he ran his hand up the side of her hips. His hands then roamed up her back, and ran over the clasp of her bra. He was about unclaps it when Kory jumped away from him.

"Wait, wait, stop." she said breathlessly as she jumped up from the bed. "I can't I'm really sorry." she said as she grabbed her clothes and clutched them to her body. Dick was shocked. She had been asking for it all night, and now it was time and she didn't want to. What the hell was wrong with this girl? Was she insane? Here was a hot, young, rich man who hadn't been laid in over a year, offering himself to her, and she was just going to pass him up?

"Kory what's wrong?" Dick said irratable. Kory grabbed her clothes and went for the door. Dick lay under the sheets very confused, and a little mad.

"I'm sorry." Kory said her eyes filling with tears as she ran out the room. Dick decided it was best not to go after her. Kory quickly pulled on all her clothes in the living room, then she grabbed her pockety book before closing the front door, living Dick alone. She steadily made her way to the lonely elevator. When the door closed she fell onto her knees and began to cry.

* * *

_November 19 1999_

_Dick and Raven had recently promised each other to try and stop doing drugs. Dick was a little buzzed on pot. He had been calling Raven for the past hour with no response. His senses told him something was wrong, so he went to her father's mansion. All the lights were off, and it was Friday night so all the servants were at home. Dick rang the doorbell and he was very anxious from the drugs._

_"Raven!" he yelled as he pounded on the door. He then took off his jacket and wrapped it around his hand, then a punch the window next to the door. He reached in and unlocked the door. He then turned the knob. He saw a faint light from upstairs. He ran up the stairs, and slowed down because moving fast was making him dizzy. The bathroom was locked but he could see the light from underneath the door. "Raven!" he yelled again._

_He pounded his shoulder into the door and busted it open. Raven was sitting on the floor, leaning against the bath tub. She was all sweaty and her eyes were dilated. Dick crouched down next to her and grabbed her wrist and starting shaking her. "What did you do?!"_

_Raven didn't say anything for a minute, then she babbled something incoherently. Dick went over to the singk, and leaned on the edge. His heart was beating really fast. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them his eyes fell on a small packet of the white powdery substance that was cocine. Then he heard a small thud. Raven had fallen over and laying on the floor, with her eyes were half closed. Dick crouched beside her and lifted her by her shoulders, and roughly started shaking her. "How much did you take?!"_

_Raven shook her head, and sighed."I did...like..like.. six line." she whispered and started laughing like an idiot. _

_"Six lines! You did six lines!" Dick let go of Raven who fell over again. She was appearently unconcious. Dick was freaking out. He was pacing, and then he pulled a joint out of his pocket, and smiked it. everything became brighter and Dick felt more calm. "I'll be back I promise." he said to Raven's lifeless body, and then he left her high and unconcious._

_Raven was still laying on back dead to the world by the time Dick came back the next day. He sobered up and returned to see if she was OK. He went into a mild panic whenhe found her still on the bathroom floor. He found a bucket filled it with ice cold water and threw it right on top of her._

_Raven jumped in surprise, and gasped loudly. "What happened?" she saod groggily._

_"You did too much." Dick said handing her a towel. "You were out for sixteen hours!"_

_Raven exhaled, and looked around. "I'm going to stop, I have to."_

Raven awoke with a start in the middle of the night. It had been a long time since she had, had a dream about the past. She Put her head in her hands, and took deep breaths. suddenly she went into an, uncontrollable coughing fit. She reached for a glass of water on her night stand, and she took a long sip. It took three years of intense therapy to expel the past from her mind. That wasn't the worst of the past, to say the least but as long as Raven didn't dream of the horrible unmentionable thing that happened to her she was OK.

"Jesus, Gar what are you doing to me?" she said to herself. She took her rosary beads out of the nightstand drawer and blessed herself before laying back down. Hopefully her dreams would be better the second time around. But her mind was restless was an image of Gar and his giggle, that light up in her head, and Raven slept through the rest of the night.

* * *

Sorry I took so long to update, I was stuck for a few days and then I got lazy. This is the longest chapter I have ever written and it took be forever. Sorry for the lack of Kory and Dick there will be more next time.If you were wondering yes I am a hopeless romantic, which is weird becauseI've never even been on date before.

I will dedicate the next chapter to anyone who can tell me what movie that girls want be kissed if they play with their keys thing is from.


	5. Hell of the Ball

School just started so I amy be a little slowon the update but I'll try my best.

No one got that key question (shrugs) it was a movie called **Hitch** starring Will Smith and Eva Mendes. Good movie I recommend,

Disclaimer- Teen Titans don't own em'. I also don't own L.O.V.E Nat King Cole does, What a wonderful world Luis Armstrong does, and Hit the Road Jack Ray Charles does.

* * *

_-"His eyes have made love to me all evening." Camille,1936-_"

Dick woke up, after only three hours of sleep. The alarm clock was extra annoying as the sun peaked through his window curtains and shone right in his blood shot eyes. He rolled over on his side and sighed. He couldn't get Kory out of his head. Why had she just left him last night? Worst of all he had to face her today at the meeting, he wasn't mad at her for leaving, he was afraid she thought that he was mad at her for leaving.

"Fuck damn it." he muttered as he stepped out of his bleach white sheets, and on to the cream colored carpet.

Dick had to go face Kory this morning, and he was reallt strarting to dread it. He wasn't mad because she just got up and left him last night, he was upset that she didn't give him an explaination for leaving. He expected things between them to be awkward, but for whatever reason she did it, he would understand. Dick walked off the elevator, and headed toward the conference room. Raven of course was there early.

"Hey, Raven." Dick said miserable putting his brief case next the door. Raven coughed, ignoring Dick's obvious attempts at getting some sympathy. Raven glaned at her clock, and began to gather up all the nessesary files needed to negotiate with Kory, Gar, and Bruce. Dick found it strnge that Kory wasn't there yet. He began to wonder if she was even coming.

"Relax, she'll be here." Raven said. Dick grunted, and went for some coffee. So his sucky day began. The employee lounge coffee, as terrible, then he spilled someon his shirt. Dick then made his way to the bathroom, to try and wipe it out, and blow dry it in the hand dryer. He glanced at his watch. Shit the meeting started in five minutes.The elevator was broken, so Dick basically ran up the stairs. By the time he'd gotten there, everyone was there including Kory. Techinally he wasn't late but he felt like he was. There was no time to talk to her.

Of course the meeting was boring on all ends. They basically talked money this, budget that. From the lack of sleep Dick had gotten, he almost dosed off. His eyes were wincing to stay awake. Raven more than gladly stepped on Dick's foot, whenever it looked like he wasn't going to make to make it. But then something made Dick feel way more awake.

Roy keot tossing notes to Kory under the table. Kory would read the notes, smile, and look up at Roy before writing something back. Dick watched this for the whole rest of the meeting, and he wasn't too happy about it. Sending notes, was so high school. Why did Kory keep sending him notes? Fianlly Dick put his leag out, and stopped one note short. He 'dropped' a pencil, and bent down to pick it up.

_RoyH: Did it hurt?_

_Kory: No._

_RoyH: Are you an alien?_

_Kory:No._

_RoyH: Well I guess I am not good at pick up lines._

_Kory: you think. But that's OK._

_RoyH: Really?_

_Kory: I dig sweet sensitive guys, and I'll tell you it's been awhile since I've met a cute guy like you._

_RoyH:So does that mean I can pick you up at eighto' clock on Saturday night?_

_Kory: I didn't say that._

_RoyH: Will you say it now._

_Kory: I'll get back to you_

Dick stared at the note totally horrified, and angrier than a wet black cat. Then the meeting was over, and Dick was still staring at the note, with his mouth hung open. Dick quickly stood up and left as quickly as possible. By the time the meeting was over the elevator was fixed but, it wasn't moving fast enough. Dick wanted to avoid Kory at all cost. He felt like such an idiot to believe she would actually like him.

"Dick." Kory called after him. Dick stabbed the button on the elvaot again, but it was too late."Hey." Dick didn't say anything. Kory caught wind of that Dick was mad at her.But she thought it was because of last night. "I guess should explain."

"No, you don't." Dick said fiercely "Save it for someone who cares." Kory was shocked. Dick stepped onto the finally arrived elevator. "There is a formal event tonight I expect you'll come-"

"Dick please." Kory begged

"You can get the information from Raven." he said before the elevator door shut.

* * *

Dick stood in his designer tuxedo in the middle of a huge ballroom. Grand chandeliers hung gracefully from the ceiling, and a bar stretched all the way down the room. Dick hated these types of events with a passion. Tonight Bruce was honering a retired employee of his or a charity event, something like that. When Dick heard he had to attend this crucial event all he could do was privatly suck his teeth and roll his eyes. Currently his hair was slicked back, and his tux was making him very hot. The open rafters spun around in the corner of the room, and glass doors on the other side of the room were opened to expose the veranda. 

Dick took a flute glass of champagne, and held the glass between his finger. He was so sick of champagne. He would kill for a beer right about now. But it was important to put on a fake smile and kiss up to these people, not only because he was competing for an internship, but also and most importantly because he as son of Bruce Wayne, which was a major pain in the ass some times.

Raven glided across the ballroom in a simple black, v- neck dress, with a plunging neck line. Her hair was in a french braid, and her face glowed with boredom. "You look nice." Dick said in a not convincing tone, kissing her on the cheek. Raven rolled her eyes.

"Are you kidding me? I haven't felt this stupid in a dress since my cotillion." she said. "I think this is the ninth black and white ball I've been to this year."

"That's what this is? I though it was a charity event." Dick said swirling the contents of his glass around. Raven shrugged and joined in Dick's leaugue of the extrodinarily bored. Dick and Raven stood there in silence for what seemed like hours, and in fact it had actually only been five minutes. Dick kept flicking his head bacl towards the entrance every few seconds.

"What are you doing?" Raven asked getting a little annoyed with his fidgetting. Dick just shook his head. For some reason he couldn't get Kory out of his head, all day she was on his mind, which aggrivated him since he was suppose to be mad at her. Suppose to. For some reason he couldn't be mad at her no matter how hard he tried, at least when he wasn't around her. This morning at the office he had been so furious with Kory he couldn't even stand to look at her, but the second he leaft her sight, he just wanted to kiss her. "You're looking for Kory aren't you?" Raven asked

"No, I'm"

"Dick stop it. You have said almost nothing since the meeting. I saw Kory and Roy, and I saw your face. I know it's bothering you, and frankly I don't think that you should get upset about it, it's probably nothing." she said placing her hand on the back of his shoulder.

"That's not what you were saying about Malcolm." Dick said harshly. Raven glared at him.

"That's different."

"How? Because every girl I seem to like, you shoot down immeadtely, but you like Kory, Raven, I know that you do, and for what ever bull shit reason you want to keep her around. What Kory did to me, is the exact thing Malcolm did to you, and your glad that your not the only hurting over someone for once." Dick said.

Raven was shocked. Dick was her friend and he never spoke so harshly at her like he did right now. And to bring up Malcolm was just crossing the line. She knew he was upset and probably didn't mean it, but that hurt her. Raven closed her slightly open mouth, and turned on her heels and walked away. Dick all of a sudden felt bad. After all Raven was just trying to help, and it wasn't at all neccessary for him, to bring up such a touchy matter. He was about to find her to apologize when she glided into the room.

Kory was wearing a white floor length dress. It had a black sash at the waist and was layered all the way down. Her hair was in a loose bun, and she just glowed. Dickfelt everyone in the room melt away, and it was just him and Kory, and then he remembered he was mad at her. He quickly turned his head away from her, before she could see him staring at her, and walked towards the other end of the room.For a second he forgot he was suppose to be doing something, and then he went to find Raven to apologize. That way he could avoid Kory, and have an excuse for gving her the cold shoulder.

The first thing Kory did when she entered the grand ballroom was scan around for Dick. The room was so crowded she couldn't see over anyone's head. Gar came into view next to her, in his black tuxedo, and too was scanning the room but for a different person.

"You know that Malcolm guy has thid gig in Las Vegas, and makes something like ten million bucks a year." He said with hatred streaming his voice. Kory rolled her eyes. Yesterday Gar had goggled Malcolm Warren (who had over two million hits) and just kept going on and on about his deep hatred for this guy. Appearently he was some sort of goth- magician and had contract at some hotel and casino on the Vegas strip. "How am I going to compete with that?"

Kory ignored him this time, and made her way through the room. Everyone she past would stop talking or whatever it was they were doing and stare at her. It was really strang, this didn't happen to her to often. That's when she saw him. Dick was talking to Bruce at the far end of the ballroom. She made her way over to him. She didn't know why she was so nervous, she hadn't been this nervous in her life. Kory could hear her heart about to break through her chest.

"Hello Richard." Kory said as she approached. She almost called him Dick, but was trying to be as professional as possible. "Hello, Mr. Wayne."

Bruce smiled at her pleasently. "Oh please call me Bruce. If we're going to be doing buisness together I want to think of us friends."

Dick wasn't amused, all the anger flooded back to him. "Excuse me." he said heading towards the opposite direction.Kory quickly followed him.

"I'm sorry." she said, walking fast to keep up with him. "I'm sorry." she said again.

"I heard you." he said trying to loose her. Kory stopped dead in her tracks as the cruel words from Dick hit her. As soon as she stopped, the crowd filled in the spaces between them, and she lost him again. Meanwhile Gar was having a specifically hard time looking for Raven, this would be the first time he spoke to her since their unofficial date, last night. He had never seen Raven in an evening gown, and there were so many people that he was having a hard time finding her. But then he saw her. She was gorgeous. Her smokey eyes complimented her so well. She was standing near the entrance being chatted up by some big guy. This gave Gar a pang of jealousy, as he made his way over to her.

"Oh, hello Gar." Raven said when he slid next to her. Gar nodded his head at her, and then sent an evil look over to the guy she was talking to. The guy noticed this and gave Gar a weird look. Even though this guy was three times the size of Gar, he was ready to fight for Raven's affection if he had to. The tension between the two went unnoticed by Raven. "This is Victor Stone, he will be sponoring you." Raven warned. "This is Garfield Logan he is the vice president of StarFire Incorporate."

"Please call me Gar." he said accepting Vic's handshake but squeezing it as hard as possible which turned out to be not so hard. Of course Vic noticed.

"Wow that's quiet a grip you got there. Building hand nuscle playing Halo two?" he said as a joke.

"Halo three." Gar said quietly. Victor's eyes went wide.

"You have Halo three! Man, I've been looking for that for weeks."

Raven was now confused. How could anyone of any intelligence have a conversation about video games for more than tweleve seconds? She left Vic and Gar to discuss the finer points of Halo, Tekken, and Fear Effect as she just shook her head. She saw Kory dash out of the ballroom and decided to follow her. Making herself as inconspicuous as possible. She slipped out the room and slithered s few feet behind Kory without being noticed. Kory quickly went out of the country club, in which the party was being held and into the parking lot. She leaned against a car, and slid down the side of a car a wept. She pulled herknees into her and put her head down.

She didn't reallt know why she crying, it was really silly and useless to be crying over a boy. But she couldn't help it. She wasn't sure why Dick was so angry with her. Perhaps he was being an egostistical male, or maybe he should be mad at her. It was weird she spent hours making herself up for him tonight, and she wasn't even sure if he noticed her. Then she heard the sound of gravel crunching beside her. She looked up and saw a lengthy figure next to her, and she started.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Raven said sliding down next to her.

"Thanks Ok." Kory said through her tears. Now felt slighting embarrassed. She never saw Raven so emotional and hear she was ruining an expensive gown, for really no reason. Raven pulled out a hankercheif.

"No more crying." she said rather gently wiping away Kory's tears.

"Oh Gawd I feel so ridiculous. Here I m making a fool of myself over a boy, this is so stupid." Kory almost yelled.

Raven pulled her dress down, as it was exposing her thigh, she strtched out her legs, and crossed her ankles, as she sat next to Kory. "It's OK," Kory looked at Raven strangely "to cry I mean. Maybe if I had cried a little when Malcolm and I broke up I wouldn't have had such bad head aches."

Kory hiccupped a little. "What was that like?"

Raven titled her head and sighed. "Well we were together for a long time. I guess in a way he was my first love, and when it was over it was so hard for me to get over it. But part of recovery is being emotional, that was mt mistake. I held everything inside and expected to be OK with it, and the truth was I wasn't. I was almost completely heart broken." she said simply. "Maybe I'm still not over it."

"Do you still love him." Kory asked.

Raven didn't say anything for a long time. "That's a good question Kory, and no matter how much I would absolutly hate to admit I do still have feelings for Malcolm. Eventually I will find someone who is right for me. Not neccessarily a man but, someone who does love me and I'll be over him."

"I feel so awful, like what did I do wrong. I thought we were good, and then I started thinking were we really together in the first place? I want to be loved so bad, and I guess that makes me impressionable. I gues maybe Dick and I aren't meant to be. I know that sounds strange since we haven't known each other that long but-"

"No, it's real." Raven interuptted staring into the distance. Then she looked at Kory again. "There comes a time in every relationship, official or not, where it's good until the guy goes and does something stupid. This is your time. DIck is just acting like a big baby."

Kory look this in for a second. This was true, whether it was infedelity or a forgotten anniverssary the gy always did something really dumb. dick was just kind of being an idiot right now, so wht tread on it. "What did Malcolm do to you?"

Raven gave a small laugh. "What most shallow men, who aren't happy with their current sexual intimancy do. He went and fucked some brunette, groupie he met after a show."

Raven stood up and held her hand out. Kory gazed at it for a moment, before grabbing it. Raven pulled her up. kory sighed and tried her best at not letting the tears left in her eyes spill, but it was in vain. Raven wiped the final tears. Kory leaned over and examined herself in the car window. She looked a mess. Her hair was falling out of the bun, and her eye shadow and mascara was smudged all over her eyes. which were red and puffy. Red and green eyes didn't mesh well.Raven took out her black clutch, and took out a tissue as if reading Kory's mind. She pulled out a tube of pitch black mascara, and dark, dark eye shadow colors from it.

"I know that this is a little caliginous for your taste but.." Raven's voice trailed off. She was starting to feel like the emotional girly girls she was dead set against. Was she going soft. Then she decided as of tomorrow no more sympathy for her, she was going to roll her eyes, and tell them to get over it like she always did. Kory gave her a sympthetic smile.

"It's fine." she said accepting Raven's peace offering. This looked like the start of a beautiful friendship. And if it was it was the first girlfriend both Kory and Raven had, had in a long time. Kory and Raven returned to the ballroom. Kory spotted Dick. He was sitting in a chair with his arm crossed with angry look on his face. Kory held her head up and started to march over to him. She was ready to give him a piece of her mind. Then when she half way there, she began to feel anxious like Dick take her back.

She then stopped. She thought about it. At the last second she backed out of it. With a sigh she turned around and disappered somewhere. Raven who had witnessed the whole thing, shook her head. What a weakling. Raven herself was starting to get a little annoyed with Dick's game heart-on-a-string.

"Your a real idiot, you know that?" Raven said sitting down in the chair next to him. Dick rolled his eyes, and went back to leaning in his seat. Raven groaned. "Are you going ruin the potentially best relationship you've ever had, because your acting like a baby?"

"Since when do you care so much about me and my personal affairs." Dick said stubbornly. "Besides I've known Kory for like what five weeks, can you really call that potential?" Raven sat back in her chair and sighed. Dick could be such asshole sometimes, most of the time.

"Truthfully, I just like having a...little bit of fun with you. You haven't been this happy with a girl since-" before Raven could say that name, Dick shot her a glare. "And then you went around hissing at anyone, mainly me, about everything fucking thing, from missing files, to if your coffee wasn't hot enough, and frankly I am not putting up with your shit any more."

Dick rolled his eyes again."I-"

Raven stood up and leaned towards him. "Look I don't personally give a damn what happens between you and Kory, regardless to what a few witnesses might claim, but I am going to give you two things. One is my advice, I am advising you to stop acting like a bay, and make up with the girl. The second," she said darkly "is a warning is you do decide to be a stubborn moron, don't tell me about it. I would rather not know but don't come in to work throwing me orders like I'm a fucking dog."

Dick sighed. "Must you always advise me on every aspect of my life?" Raven smirked.

"It's what I am good at."

Richard grinned at Raven before turning, to go find Kory. He carfully scanned over the crowd looking for her. suddenly the soft orchestra started up, and the guest begrudgingly started dancing to the music. Then Dick saw Kory. She was sitting in a chair with her head in her hand, and looking on ward at the dancing couples admirable. A short man with black hair, and white suit. he looked a little like Frank Sinatra, he grabbed the microphone, and started singing into it.

" _L is for the way you look at me,O is for the only one I see, V is very, very extraordinary, E is even more than anyone that you can adore_." he sang smoothly.

"Hey." Dick asid to Lory. Kory looked up at Dick, she didn't say anything. Dick awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, then he held his hand out. "Could I have this dance?" Kory smiled before putting her and in his, she stood up and walked with Dick over to the dance floor. Thet slowly started moving to the music.

"So what made you change you mind, about me?" Kory said when they arrived on the dance floor. Dick held both of her hand out slightly, and moved his feet back and forth.

"Well, I was talking to Raven, and she told me toforget about whatever it was I was mad about. And she was right, I was acting like a child and for that I am sorry. I just tend to lash out at people when I'm fustrated, and seeing you with Roy made me...jealous to no end, but like I said I was talking to Raven and she convinced me that it was nothing." he said. Both Dick and Kory started blushing, like two teens at the prom.

_"Love is all that I can give to you, love is more than just a game for two, two in love can make it, take my heart and please don't break it, love was made for me and you."_

"You want to know why I can't sleep with you?" Kory said more sultry than she wanted. Dick nodded. "I see the type of relationship that you have with Raven. She's like your best friend, and you have a brother- sister bond, I want to have that a real connection with you. every guy, which is not many by the way, that I've been with where like total jerks, and I don't want to ruin what we have. It's special." she said koily.

Dick shrugged, and then scoffed. "I wish that were true. Raven is my best, best friend. She's like the only friend I have, and we have know each other since we were eight, we even went to boarding school together. She's done more for me than I can ever repay her." Dick said sadly. " I feel like all I've ever done is let her down."

Kory frowned she felt confused. Dick and Raven seemed to have a great, friendly bond. What could possible be wrong with it. "What happened?" she asked. Kory gasped. She stopped dancing, and pulled her hands away from Dick's. "You slept with her." she whispered

Dick rolled his eyes. He grabbed Kory's hands again, and tried to pick up the beat again. "Don't be silly, that would be like doing it with my sister." he said, making a disgusted face.

"Then what happened?" Kory asked again.

Dick shook his head. "It doesn't matter, it was a long time ago. I dont' want to dissapoint you like I did her, so instead of trying to reinact my relationship, let's just try and create our own, special bond." Dick said. Kory smiled agin, and nodded.

"I would like that."

Raven watched the two love birds from a distance, and couldn't help but grin. If this lasted, and Kory and Dick ended up getting married and having kids, she would constanly remind Dick it was her who got them together. It was getting too hot and romantic in the ballroom for her personal taste. She stood up and made her way towards the veranda. It was a humid September night. Early Septembers always were. She walked down the white mable stairs and into the grand garden. She could still hear the blazing jazz music. The garden was a fountain surrounded by exotic plants. Raven sat down on the edge of the fountain. Unbeknowist to Raven Gar had followed her out. He silently slithered next to her. She knew he was there but she just kept staring at the beauty of the full moon up ahead.

"Lovely night we're having." gar said raising his eyebrows twice. Raven shrugged and turned to him.

"It's OK, I guess." It was silent after that, neither one of them felt like they needed to say anything, they were just there. "Is there a particular reason you followed me out here?" Raven asked after awhile.

"Hm, not really but I do want to get to know you." Gar said leaning back. "Good or bad girl?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are you a good girl or a bad girl."

Raven leaned back and thought about this. Today she didn't do anything all that wild or bad. She wasn't much of a drinker, she quit smoking, she even went to church. But then again she did have some very bad girl history. "I guess it depends on your definition of good girl or bad girl." she said shrugging.

"Well, there are certain characteristics of said good or bad girl." Gar explained. "Like piercings or hair styles, or tattoos."

Raven brushed the side of her leg. "I didn't realize a tattoo could tell so much about you." she said.

Gar stood up and balanced himself along the fountain. He scooted over towards Raven and they were now so close they were almost touching. "Well it's more rather where you put the tattoo." Raven made on O shape with her mouth, and looked back at the moon. "For instance places like ankle, upper back, wrist, and neck are good girl tattoos. Where as places like lower back, shoulder, and breast would be a bad girl place."

Raven stood up and looked around to make sure noone else was watching her. She then started to pull up her dress. She stop when she got to her hip revealing her lacey black underwear. She pulled down the top of her panties ever so slightly. Resting right above her right hip bone was a black tattoo that read: _uranicus proeliator._

"It means heavenly fighter in latin." Raven said dropping her dress. Gar stared at the spot where the slightly provacative tattoo had just been, with his mouth open. "Is that a bad girl tattoo?"

Gar just stared for a second. "Uh, yeah I guess." he said not even really knowing what the question was. Then the music from the ballroom simmered from some fast jazz song down to a familiar, love tune.

_"I see trees of green... red roses too, I see em bloom... for me and for you, And I think to myself... what a wonderful world."_

Raven sighed indescently. Gar shuffled his foot in the grass. Honestly Raven was waiting for Gar to ask her to dance, but he was too bust acting like a hormonally charged teenager. "Well, aren't you going to ask me to dance?" Raven asked quietly. Gar's head shot up and he quickly nodded his head. raven stood up and Gar took both ofher hands in his, they moved slowly and got into the moment. Gar was glad they were out in the garden away from everyone else. He had Raven all to himself, and noone could ruin this perfect moment. Raven rested her head, on Gar's shoulder, as he lead them through the dance.

_"I see skies of blue... clouds of white, Bright blessed days...dark sacred nights, And I think to myself ...what a wonderful world."_

Gar moved so slowly, he was stuck there moving around in small circles, with this beautifulgirl on his shoulder. "From now on this is our song." he whispered to Raven causing her to release a small laugh.

_"The colors of a rainbow...so pretty ..in the sky, Are also on the faces...of people ..going by,I see friends shaking hands...sayin.. how do you do, They're really sayin...i love you."_

"Raven I-" Gar started but he was interupptted by a gasp from raven. Gar was facing the garden, and Raven was facing the veranda. Raven let go of Gar.

"Malcolm?" she said moving towards the veranda. The name made Gar's blood run cold. He whipped around to see a boy with longish, plaitnum blonde hair. In a black suit. Gar hated to admit it but, he looked good, sharp. He had this annoying grin on face, that made Gar want to slap in him. Raven arrived at him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her wist. His hands were on the middle of her back. Gar had seen this in a movie too. If a boy put his hand on a girl's back it meant he wanted something. Too high meant just friends, too low meant he just wanted to grab some ass, and in the middle meant boyfriend. Malcolm's hands were definatly centered.

"What are you doing here?" Raven asked letting him go.

"I am in town for a couple of weeks, and I wanted to see you, but you weren't at home. I remember getting an invitation to this charity event, and I thought you'd be here." he said in his smooth British accent. Gar stalked over to them, with a glare piercing his face.

"That's what this is?" Raven and Gar said in unison. Malcolm then noticed Gar.

"Oh hello, I'm Malcolm Warren."

"Hi," Gar said pretty rudley. "I'm Garfield Logan."

Raven was starting to feel awkward. Gar stood there glaring at Malcolm and Malcom seemed to be totally oblivious to it, and stood there with this smirk on his face. Like were both acting like high schoolers. Strangly it felt oddly satisfying. No one had ever gotten jealous of her before. "We should go back in." she said. And the two boys followed her, at her heels.

_"And I think to myself ...what a wonderful world."_

* * *

"That's the ex-boyfriend?" Kory whispered to Gar as she continued her dance with Dick. They were both currently on the dance floor, next to each other. Kory was still dancing with Dick, and Gar took up some young brunette who was no older than eighteen. He looked over at Raven who was on the side talking with Macolm. Gar rolled his eyes. 

"I hate him, Kory. You should have seen the way he was looking at me with his beady little eyes." he whispered. Kory looked over at Malcom and Raven.

"His eyes are blue." she said. Gar growled.

_"Woah Woman, oh woman, don't treat me so mean, You're the meanest old woman that I've ever seen. I guess if you said so, I'd have to pack my things and go. (That's right)."_

By the songs gar felt like the whole world was taunting him. Raven and malcolm came onto the dance floor and started dancing, which made Gar want to claw out his own eye balls. His face was flushed with anger.

_"Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more. Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more."_

He hated everything about him. The way that stupid looking black strip in the front of his head dipped into those stupid looking blue eyes. He hated the way his idiotic accent would make women swoon over him. And he hated, hated the way he touched Raven with those perverted thoughts in his head. In all fairness Gar couldn't prove that Malcolm had cruel intentions for Raven, but Gar liked to think so.

Dick scoffed. "There's something weird about him. Why would, after two three months, he just show up?" Gar growled as he watched Raven and Malcolm having an appearently good time. He said sorry to the girl he was dancing with, and made his way over to raven. Kory watched as he asked to to cut into their dance, in which Raven didn't look too happy to accept. Kory sighed.

"They're so hopeless." Dick nodded in agreement. The music slowed again, and a young girl with sparkling blonde hair took over the microphone, she sounded just like Sarah Vaughan and she started signing Over the Rainbow.

"I'm glad we got this chance to spend together with little hostility." Dick said. Dick shuffled his foot. "I was wondering if we could go out... on a real date." Richard coughed awkwardly "Sometime."

Kory smiled. "I can not tell you how long I've waited for you to ask me that." her eyes began to water. She quickly wiped the tears away. "I am sorry. I don't know why I'm all emotional."

Dick grinned. "So I take it you'll go out with me." Kory smiled, and laughed, then nodded. "I feel like such a teenager, I shouldn't be so nervous of asking a girl out."

"I know exactly how you feel." Kory and Dick didn't say much afterward, they just enjoyed each other's company. Gar on the otherhand was having a difficult time getting rid of Malcolm. He and Raven were always deep in discussion, and Gar felt like such a third wheel. But this wheel was very determined, and he would make sure that Malcolm stay as far away from Raven as possible, if he had to commit a felony to do it. So everyone was called into the banquet hall. It was glamoursly set up, with decadant table settings. There were many small round tables, with allusive table runners across them. Dick and Kory took a seat near Bruce, Dick being family. Raven, Malcolm, and Gar sat near the middle. When all the the dressed up guests filed into the room and were seated, Bruce stood up. He tapped his knife on a champagne glass.

"First of all I would like to welcome you all to this very pretigious event. I am very glad that all of you have tturned out for the Aida foundation first anual ball, to benefit those suffering from the disease." Bruce spoke.

Kory leaned into Dick. "That's what this is?" she whispered. Dick gave a quiet half laugh, then shrugged.

"As you all know Wayne Enterprises is donating money to benefit those suffering, not only here but in other countries, as well as awareness. We are proud to sponsor the National Aids Awarness Soiety, umong other new project in which we will announce a little later in the year." Bruce went on andon about..something. No one was really listening, as he droned on. Finally, to everyone's relief, he stopped talking. The caterers came out bearing large trays, of lavish food.

"It wasn't to long ago, I was doing that." Gar said with a heavy sigh. He remembered how not even two months ago he was the one serving organic food to people at places like this. He saw always an onlooker, looking through the window on the outside. Now he was on the outside, and he didn't feel too different. Gar sighed again. He didn't think anyone had heard him. For an hour and a half he'd been forced to hear about how Malcolm was better than Criss Angel, and how his ten million dollar deal with the Palms resort in Las Vegas. He was feeling like such an underdog. When dinner was done the guest moved rooms, yet again.

"What is this a musuem tour?" Gar said to Kory as they went into a room, that looked like a gymnasium. The light went out and, Bruce stood at a podium, at the front. All he did was hand out awards, to various employees. It was by far the most boring event of the night. Finally it was over, and the guest were free to socailize. Dicj had lost track of Kory, and wondered through the crowd, trying to spot her. when he did he stopped dead in his tracks,

Kory was leaning against the door frame, and Roy was whispering into her ear. Kory gave a smile, and blushed. Roy leaned in closer to her, and brushed the side of her cheek. Kory stared longingly into his eyes. Kory turned her head, and her smile quickly faded. Dick turned on his heels, and marched away. Kory chased after him.

"Dick, it's not what it looks like." Kory said grabbing his arm.

"Oh, so you know what it looks like?" Dick said harshly. "Fuck damn it Kory, you literally just told me Roy meant nothing to you and an hour later I see you.. Flirting with him!"

"I wasn't flirting with him. He was just telling me that my idead were very good quality and that he wished me luck." She said tired of Dick's immaturity. As Dick and Gar stood in the middle of the room arguing, no one seemed to notice. No one that is except Roy. He smirked as he watched their angry movements, and bickering, just like an old married couple. Dick once again marched away, and Kory quickly followed him. Roy did not take kindly to this, he slipped out of the room and made himself as inconspicous as possible. FLirting with Kory wasn't going to split them apart, that easily. He moved like a cobra, as he slipped downstairs, past an employees only door. He was now underneath the country club, where the pools were kept maintenance. He blocked his nose as the strong scent of chlorine gagged his sense. It was dirty, and creepy down there but that wasn't going to stop him. He walked along the long tile walkwayy until he saw a room marked Gymnasium. He opened the rusty door. Inside was a red button. He slammed his palm on it.

Upstairs Kory was still trying to reason with Dick, by explaining herself and following him like a lost puppy. There was a sudden commotion around the center of the room, that Dick completly ignored. He even ignored the fact that people were backing up.

"Kory I don't-" Dick was cut off. The floor was opening from the center. The floors pulled back to expose the pool underneath it. Dick was inches from walking right into it. Kory who also wasn't paying attention, walked into the back of Dick pushing him into the pool, and falling in herself. Dick pooped up from the water the same time that Kory did. They were both soaked. Then they did something unexpected. They both started laughing.

The people around found this interesting, and soon everyone was jumping in. After everything they'd gone through that day, for Dick and Kory, no more words needed to be said. And all was silently forgiven.

Gar would've like nothing more than to jump in the pool with the other eighty-eight percent of the guest but his goal tonight was to impress Raven. He slid out the room, and went into the lounge where another ten percent of guest were being served cocktails, Raven was slouched over in a chair, looking exhausted.

"Hey." Gar said sitting into the seat next to her. "Where's Malcolm?" he asked looking around for him.

Raven yawned. "He went home." she said uncaringly. "I've been menaing to ask you somethign." she said half asleep. Gar knew there was a possibility that Raven would only be asking him somethign because she was tired, drunk, or all of the above. It wouldn't be right for him to take advantage of her if she was, but that wasn't about to stop him.

"I don't know if you've heard of this band, Switchfoot, but they're having a concert ext Saturday, and...I was wondering if you'd go with me?" she asked a light bluush, spreading across her face.

Gar grinned. "Like a date?" Raven got really quiet. Then she shrugged.

"I guess."

Gar tried to conceal the giant smile that was spreading across his face. "I'd love to." he said. Mission accomplished.

* * *

Sorry this took sooo long. School started and I was sooo busy. I don't particularily like this chapter but I had to get something up. 


	6. Battle of the Exes

Hey. I don't want to make excuses but heres one anyways. Usually before a post a new chapter, I copy and paste it to check spelling, and stuff, but I really wanted to get last chapter up, and I didn't. So that was a mistake on my part, and it won't happen again

Disclaimer- I do not own the Teen Titans.

* * *

_-"I think it pisses God off when you walk by the color purple in a field _

_and_ _don't notice it." The Color Purple,1985"-_

"I'm telling you Raven, I think she may be the one." Dick said cheerfully. Once again Raven was forced to hear about the wonderful aspect of Dick's life so far. And once again she rolled her eyes. Raven took a letter opener, and contemplated stabbing Dick's hand, which was dangerously close to her's. Raven rolled her eyes again.

"I'm glad to hear it." Raven said not convincingly. Raven stretched back in her chair. It had been a long week for her. She turned the big 2-5 on Saturday, September twenty-first. Raven was out of town, and for the most part was glad or else Dick would have made a big deal about it, and dragged her out to do something unnecessary, and she did not want to deal with it. So for the most part she would have rather endured having to hear about Dick's terrific weekend with Kory, than remind him of her birthday.

"Speaking of Kory, Ms. Anders called about an hour ago." she said casually. Dick waited for her to finish, which to didn't.

"Well?" he said. Raven pretended not to hear him, for a minute.

"She is on her way up to do dinner."

A glow suddenly, and oddly lit up. Raven shut down her computer, and gathered up her bag, and coat. It was odd to Dick that Raven was taking a lunch break, she hadn't done that, ever. Raven sighed, and stood up. "I have to go downtown to pick up some files,I'll see you Monday." Raven said putting on her coat. Dick noted that she had an extra pep in her step, no pun intended. Perhaps because of her big date with Gar tomorrow? Dick grinned, it seemed like life was finally going good for everyone. For awhile it seemed liked Dick, was some sort of plague. Everyone who came in contact with him ended up miserable.

Just as Raven left, Kory came in. She looked ravishing as usually. "Ready to go?" she asked. Dick put his arm over her shoulder and lead her out the room. "I'll go for anything."

"Great because, there is this restaurant that is looking for new managements and menu idea, so I was thinking we could swing by and have I took at it." Dick said.

Kory's heart fell a little bit. She had wanted to spend a romantic evening with Dick, no business at all, but she had to get use to Dick always coming up with strategies to win this internship. It would unfair to ask him to sacrifice to much on her count. "Great." Kory said in a not so convincing tone. She would suck it up for one night and then, next time it was her turn to do something, so wanted.

Dick drove her to a small very classy, very expensive restaurant. It was a sky scraper, and through the windows she could see all of New York. It was beautiful, and frightening at the same time it was like nothing Kory had ever seen before. It was the restaurant she had dreamed of having, she even saw Denzel Washington get up to use the bathroom, and she could swear she saw Eva Longoria tip a waitress.

"Wow, this is amazing." Kory said trying to understand the menu. It was all in French or something, why did the menu need to be in another language? This was New York in New York they spoke English. Dick could see the confused look on her face.

"I know." he said "I can't read French either. I just order whatever the number two is." Kory smiled. That's when she saw this girl. The girl was sitting a few tables behind Dick. She was tall and had glossy red hair, the same shade as Kory's only fake looking. She was sitting with hair headed socialites, and she kept giggling about something. Under normal circumstances Kory wouldn't have given the girl a second thought, but the girl kept looking at Dick. She would look at him, and then whisper something to her friends, they would all look at him, and start chattering and giggling. It was very annoying.

"Dick who is that girl?" Kory said after more than a half hour of the rude antics. Dick turned in his seat. Kory didn't see this. but for a split second his eyes went wide. He quickly turned back in his chair. He leaned forward, and tried to block out his vision of the girl with his hand. Kory's eye darted to Dick to the girl. "Well? Who is that? Do you know her?"

Dick opened his mouth but no words came out. Luckily for him he was saved by the waitress who had finally returned to serve them, their drinks. "I don't know." he said non convincingly. Kory raised and eyebrow, and sighed.

"She seems to know you." she said, as the girl looked at Dick again.

"I-I- I'm going to use the bathroom." Dick said getting up from his chair. As he made a slight dash to the back of the restaurant Kory groaned, and patted the empty plate in front of her. She sighed, and shook a small piece of hair out of her eyes. Then the giggly girl got up from her seat. She gracefully walked over to Kory and sat in Dick's now empty seat.

"So are you hear on business or pleasure?" she said picking the olive out of Dick's drink. She popped it into her mouth and held it between her teeth. Kory was getting very annoyed with the woman.

"Excuse me?" Kory said rather coldly, and sending her a glare, a habit she picked up from Raven. "Who are you?"

The girl gave a small laugh. "I'm sorry, I am Barbara Gordan." Kory raised an eyebrow at the girl. "I'm... acquainted with Richard." she said.

"How nice for you." Kory said starting to feel uncomfortable. "What was that you were asking me? Am I here on what."The girl did her obnoxious giggle and lightly pressed her lips on a napkin, leaving a peach colored lip stain one it. She pulled a tube of lipstick out of her gold clutch and apply ed and thick coat of red lipstick.

"I noticed you were here with Richard Grayson." Barbara said "He only leaves his office for one reason and that's business, but you don't seem like that type of girl so _are_ you here with him on business or...other reasons?"

Kory didn't know what to say, it wasn't everyday a total stranger would come up to her on a date, and ask her about her private life. "Are you allowed to be drinking, you look a little under twenty-one." Kory said noticing her taking a sip of Dick's drink.

"Oh Gawd yes, I'm actually twenty-four, but thank you for the compliment." Kory was now irritated by Barbara.

"Why do you care why I'm?" Kory said.

Barbara tilted her head, and held the alcohol in her mouth for a moment. She swallowed, and then took another long sip, and then she sighed "I don't know if you know this, or if Dick told you, or if you read this in the paper but, I- dated Dick last year, we were kind of serious." she said with false enthusiasm in her voice. Kory rolled her eyes. "You should be careful, he may not seem like it but Dick is an undercover bad boy. I mean sure he's a good- great guy and all but he comes with a lot of drama, I know I just could't stand for it any more. You may find out some things that might make you change your mind, I know I couldn't be with someone who would do that to his best friend."

"I think you should go now." Kory said. Barbara shrugged and stood up from the chair.

"Just thought you should know." she said before going back to her friends. Kory sat there in slight confusion. _What did she mean by 'I couldn't be with someone who did that to their best friend'? What had Dick done? _It was at that moment that Kory realized she knew almost nothing about Dick's past. She had been very open with him, and told him everything he needed to know, and that was relevant to their growing relationship, and he told her barely anything. Then Dick came back, and sat done.

"That girl over there," Kory said pointing to Barbara, Dick looked behind him. "And she said something." Dick sucked his teeth.

"Kory, please don't listen to those girls, they're air heads. All of their lives revolve around spending daddy's money, and making other people uncomfortable, so just forget about them." he said

Kory sighed, she tried to get over it but Barbara's words were on a carousel in her head. They just kept playing over and over and over. Dick could tell by Kory's sudden lack of conversation, and the way she would look up every time Barbara's loud laugh filled the room, that she didn't want to be there. She picked at her entree, and didn't say a word the whole time. Finally to both of their relief it they were ready to go.

As took out her compact and examined her face in the mirror, then an image in the mirror caught her by surprise. Sitting behind her at a far away table was Raven. Except she was with Malcolm. Kory dropped the compact and whipped her head around. "Isn't that Raven with Malcolm?"

Dick looked up for a quick second. "I guess so." he said uncaring.

"That doesn't seem odd to you? I mean I thought that they broken up, like five months ago?" she said starainging her head to see a better look at the two. Dick didn't seem to care at all.

"They did, but I mean they were together for six years, I don't think Raven ever completly got over him, it doesn't surprise me that she'd be spending some time with him. I'll care more if they decided to get back together, otherwise I don't think it's that big of a deal."

Dick went up to pay the check. Kory made sure he was out of ear shot, then whipped put her cell phone. She quickly dialed in Gar's cell phone number. "Hello Gar, guess who I just saw together..."

* * *

Getting to the concert center was murder. As if traffic in New York wasn't bad enough without crowds of people trying to get to the Switchfoot concert. Raven, however, always thought ahead and promptly arrived a full hour and a half before the concert even started. She sat in the crowd, anxiously awaiting Gar's arrival. 

Raven glanced at her cell phone once again looked at the time. It 7:45 and the concert was starting in fifteen minutes, and Gar was still nowhere in sight. She contemplated calling him, yet again but he wasn't picking up. In fact he hadn't answered or returned any of her calls in two days which was odd. Raven took a deep breath, and tried to relax. She always tried not to be so paranoid, but in her field of work sometimes paranoia was necessary.

She looked at her phone again, seven minutes left. This time she decided to call him, and at least see where he was. She got up and left the arena, out to the concession where teenage girls were going on about their first concert experience. Raven put her phone to one ear, and her hand over the other to block out the noise, as she slowly paced. Once again his voice mail came one.

"Shit." she swore under her breath. The sudden scream of the crowd made her jump slightly,as the band started to play.Raven went back into the arena, it was now dark and Smokey. As she walked down the short cement steps she thought to herself _He's just running late or stuck in traffic_. It's funny how girls are always in denial.

The band started off with _Adding to the Noise. _Raven made it back to her seats, and tried and failed at paying attention to the band, she was paying more attention to her cell phone,but now she was becoming very worried, what if he got into an accident, or got lost or...maybe he just wasn't coming. Raven shook that thought from her head. Next the band played _Oh!Gravity _and Gar still didn't show up, then _The Beautiful Letdown_, still no Gar. _The Awakening _no Gar. _I Dare You To Move _no Gar. _Meant to Live_, _Bomb, Edge of My Seat _still no Gar. You name they played it and Raven finally accepted the fact that he had stood her up.

The concert was coming to a close and Raven got up and left early. Her heart wasn't in it. Raven's mind left her body. As she pushed her way through the crowd and made her way to the parking lot. Why would Gar stand her up? Her footsteps echoed in the empty parking lot, as she got in car and drove away.

Raven was so angry, how could Gar be such a jerk and just stand her up when he had told her he'd be there that very morning. She went back to her apartment but, was to angry to distract herself, so she went across the street to a bar at a hotel. She wasn't much of a drinker, but tonight was just one of those nights. Her hair was dishelved, and she looked tired. But it was two in the morning.

Raven put down her latest cosmopolitan, and sighed. "What are you doing here?" came a voice. Malcolm sat down at a bar stool next to her.

"Drinking on an empty stomach." she said quietly.

"That's not like you." Raven shrugged.

"You'll never guess what happened to me," she starting babbling "So right I had a date with Gar, you know Gar right? You met him last week at that-charity thing, right so anyways I invited him to a concert with me, I spent two hundred dollars on the tickets, so there I was waiting and waiting for him to show up, and-he never did, completly stood me up." Raven shook her head. "Bastard."

Malcolm listened intently, even though Raven was in no condition to be talking. "I don't know maybe he with some beautifully, fun girl, and decided hey screw the moody, creepy chick."

"I think you're beautiful." Malcolm said. Raven gave a small laugh.

"Sure, you do."

"No, really I don't think there is anyone I would rather be with at one AM." Malcolm said quickly putting his hand on Raven's. She noticed this and cleared her throat.

"I am going to go home now." she said standing up. She stumbled slightly, and Malcolm stood up and held her arm.

"Let me take you home." he said Raven laughed again.

"Malcolm Warren you're not getting in my bed that easily, you're not even trying."

"Nothing like that." he said, but Raven gave him an unsure look. "I swear. Raven shrugged, as he lead her home.

* * *

"I said I was sorry one hundred times." Gar said exhausted. Raven ignored him completly, like she had been doing the whole, entire night. She was peeved and she made damn sure Gar knew it. The only reason she even decided to go was because Kory and Dick were coming. She was much of a sushi person herself. Raven picked up her chopsticks, and expertly placed two California rolls, and a few Edamame on her square plate. 

Gar couldn't wait for Dick and Kory to show up, he was tired of dealing with Raven's childish tantrum on his own. He sighed and shook his head. He knew he deserved, he _did_ stand her up for no real reason what so ever, besides pure jealousy. Even if she should've told him she was going to see Malcolm, or that's how Gar felt. None the less he deserved it, and now he was paying the price.

"Look," he said "I know what I did was really messed up, and you have every right to never want to speak to me again, but you have to understand that I'm willing to do something to make it up to you."

"And how," Raven started "do you intend to do that?" Gar was silent. "Sorry is a tired word Mr. Logan. One which I have heard far more than enough in my lifetime, and I am no longer swayed by." she said deciding to go back to the silent treatment.Gar groaned and shook his head.

"I give up." he said. Gar muttered something under his breath that sounded something like 'unbelievable' but Raven dismissed it. The cold shoulder was enough fun for one night. Gar and Raven sat in complete silence for the rest of the two minutes they were alone together until Dick and Kory showed up two minutes later. They were all grins, hand in hand.

"Hey." Dick said pleasantly. Raven and Gar rolled their eyes. Dick and Kory both felt a little awkward, like they just walked into some sort of weird inside joke. "So, what's going on?" Dick said carefully taking a seat next to Gar.

"Raven is mad at me because I didn't go to that concert last night." Gar blurted out.

Raven's head snapped up and with it came the deadliest glare they've ever seen. "Didn't go? I totally stood me up. No calls, no anything." she said engaging in the battle of the words.

Kory interjected."Gar, you told me the concert was canceled."

Raven just stared at Gar."I already said I was sorry." Gar said leaning in to her. "Besides you didn't tell me you were going to see Malcolm."

Raven was shocked. "That's why you just-abandoned me?" Gar nodded. "That's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard." she retorted. Gar's mouth dropped open. Kory and Dick felt that they should intervene but they didn't for two reasons, this was really entertaining and they were far to afraid to say anything.

"What!" was all Gar could muster.

"Well, I was under the influence that I had a personal life, I'm sorry I guess I was mistaken." she said crossing her arms.Kory and Dick watched helplessly, and played witnesses to Gar and Raven incessant bickering. After about forthy-five minutes they finally agreed to disagree, and both ended up not talking at all.

"So," Dick said after a few long, silent moments. "How's the sushi?"

No one said anything. Dick and Kori exchanged desperate glances, anything to break the ice or rather the tension. The sound of 'Face Down' filled the area around the table, as Raven's cell phone rang. She glanced down and looked at it, then ignored it.

"Was that Malcolm checking up on you?" Gar said bitterly. Raven cleared her throat, and ignored the question. She crossed her hands.

Raven sighed and began to collect her things, she took out twenty dollars and threw it on the table. "Well, I don't see much point to me being here. Dick, Kory it's been a very...embracive evening. Good night." she glance at Gar. "Gar." with that she got up to leave

"Wait." Gar said standing up. "What do I need to do to prove that I am really sorry?" he said heavily. This was Raven's chance for a little bit of revenge. She thought about it for a minute.

"What are you willing to do?" she said. Gar mouthed anything. Raven grinned. Fifteen minutes later Gar as wondering if she was worth it. Raven dragged everyone to a tattoo parlor down the street, and told Gar to get a tattoo.

Gar sat in a ripped leather seat, like the ones at the dentist. The parlor smelled like sterilizer and steal bread. There were pictures of horrifying looking tattoos, and piercings in weird places. There was a scary looking, really buff guy covered in ink glaring at Gar from the back of the room.

"Are you sure about this?" Kory asked who was generally concerned. Secretly she found this very amusing. Dick sat in a chair and leaned back. Raven was flipping through an album book.

"Yeah Raven, am I sure about this?" Gar said. He was feeling a lot of anxiety about getting inked. He had never done anything like this before, and he had never expected to.

"He's sure." Raven said not even looking up from the book. Raven brushed the hair out of her face, and walked over to Gar. "So what are you going to get?" she asked in a teasing way. Gar stared at her wondering if this was some sort of pawn to manipulate him.

Gar glared at Raven, and raised his eye brows. "Does- does Malcolm have any tattoos-by any chance?" Raven sat next to Gar on the edge of his seat. She stared at him, with seductive eyes.

"Malcolm has several tattoos." Raven said glancing at the wall. She got up and carefully examined a palate with different angel designs. "He has a dove on his back, the tarot card for love on his arm, a magic hat on the back of his neck, the words abra cadabra on his other arm, and a coy fish on the back of his shoulder." she said calmly. Gar held his breath. It was obvious to him that Raven liked guys with tattoos, but this seemed a little drastic.

"I can't believe your doing this." Kory said with a grin. Her and Dick actually found the whole fight, quiet amusing.

"That makes two of us." Gar said "I can't do it." he said shaking his head

"Your such a baby, Raven said pushing him out of the chair. She showed the tattoo artist a picture, he grunted and went into the back room. When he returned he was holding a sterilized needle with ink."On my ankle." Raven said. Gar watched horrified as the man nodded and began to mark her leg. It looked so painful, like having a razor rubbed into your skin, but by Raven's expression you could have thought she was laying on the beach. After about an hour it was finished. Written in Edwardian Script, around her entire right ankle was the phrase "Something To Believe In".

No one said anything. They didn't laugh or stutter. They just stared. They were to stunned to say anything. She had just gotten a tattoo, as in permanent never come off, with out so much as battering an eyelash. "What?" Raven said. Maybe Malcolm was just a little bit braver than Gar, a personality trait he would use against him.

* * *

Hello there, I just wanted to say I despise last chapter I hate it soooo much. But I wanted to get something up, and I will never write another suckey chapter like that again. I am not satisfied with this chapter either hopefully my writing will improve but so far I'm in a funk right now. This chapter is short I know, and the my spell check is down so I apologize for any grammar/spelling errors.

And **I WILL BE TAKING A SHORT BREAK FROM THIS STORY**. Don't worry it's going to be a very short break. I need time to find myself creatively. I might redo this chapter later.

I also know you probably don't care much for the pairing, but that's all part off the drama. When I write this story I see it as one of those ABC like Grey's Anatomy or Big Shots or something.


	7. Night of the Masquerade

I am determined to make this the best chapter ever! I was really angry with myself because I couldn't think of drama for Kory and Dick, and then I got it and I put it in this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans.

* * *

_-"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look __around _

_once in awhile, you could miss it." Ferris Bueller's Day Off, 1986-_

Things between Kory, and Dick were amazing and awkward in an unspoken sort of way.They normally would have gone to lunch, together two or three times a week, but lately Dick had been making a lot of excuses. He always had to go to a meeting, or was too tired, like he was making excuses. Kory managed to convince herself it was all in her head, but it had been a month and her and Dick rarely saw each other. But tonight was Halloween and Kory was going to make sure that her and Dick spent it together, not that Halloween was the most romantic holidays. Kory went up to Wayne Enterprises, for the one hundredth time that month, but again Dick was not in his office.

Dick caught sight of Kory, and Quickly tried to avoid her, with Barbara in town it was best for them not to see each other, unfortunately for him, she she saw him. "Dick."

"Oh, hey Kory I was just-" He said motioning towards the elevator. Kory nodded, she looked disappointed, which made Dick feel guilty. "Why don't we do something this weekend." Of course Dick knew he should have checked his schedule with Raven first, she had him on such a tight leash lately. Stocks were coming out next week which was a crucial to the internship. "Let me see what I'm doing this week first. Dick and Kory walked into Raven's office.

"Is she-smiling?" Kory whispered to Dick.

"I think it's a grin." he replied.

"More like a smirk."

"You're in a good mood." Dick said noting the slight smirk on Raven's face. 

"Guess, what this it." she said holding out an envelope. Dick shrugged. "It's my trust fund." Dick looked suddenly interested as he swooped down upon the plain envelope. The day that a socialite received their trust fund, was just as important to them as the day that they were born. In New York most parents gave their kids the money after their twenty fifth birthday.

"Well, that's- just great." Dick said with a tinge of jealousy.

"Why say it like that?" Kory said

"Dick is just, mad because he doesn't get his trust until February." Raven said using a letter opener to rip open to top of the letter. She pulled out a piece of paper and quickly read over it.

"Well how much?" Dick said waiting for the final number.

"I haven't gotten to that part yet, but I don't see why it matters, it's probably just enough to buy a box of toothpicks." Raven said. Finally she got to the end of the letter and her jaw dropped.

"What? How much?" Kory said. Dick brushed behind Raven and Read the end of the letter, and his jaw dropped also. "Well?" Kory said sick with anticipation. No one said anything, they just stared. Kory groaned and snatched the letter away, and saw what every one was so speechless about. "One- one hundred million!"

Raven didn't say anything. Not that there was much to say. Her first thought was what the _hell_, did her father expect from her, trying to butter her up with truck loads of money. Of course Raven's affection could not be bought, but she wasn't about to tell Mr. Roth that. She hadn't spoken, or made any attempts of contacts with him in well over eight years. Why would he need her now, he didn't need her eight years ago, he didn't need her for twenty-five years, and he couldn't expect to pay her, to agree to some sort business propaganda like some sort of prostitute, in a symbolic way. Raven suddenly felt the urge to rip up the check, but reality kicked in. She decided to milk this for all it was worth, and screw over her father later. "Looks like, I'm getting a new house." she said

"Raven- I think you should ca-" Dick started

"You should be getting to that meeting." Raven said brushing off the topic, the way she always did when subjects of her father came up. Dick sighed and formally, exited. He gave Kory an apologetic look before turning to leave. Kory scuffed her foot, and sighed. Raven did her best to ignore her. Kory was one of those people who you couldn't help, but feel bad for, and as of now Raven didn't really feel up to sympathy. Raven groaned. "Do you have plans for tonight?"

Kory shook her head, and arched her left eye brow. "No, I don't." Raven pulled open the bottom of her desk drawer, and took out a very, formal looking flier. She straightened out the creases and handed it to Kory. Kory looked over it. "What is this?"

"This is for Bruce's annual Halloween Masquerade ball. Everyone who's anyone goes, celebrities, important business, people like that. You buy a ticket and dress in a tux or like Marie Antoinette, and wear a mask. A game is played in which, the men have to find and kiss their maiden at midnight."

"So Dick is going to this?" Kory asked.

"Of course, he goes every year."

* * *

From the moment Kory walked down the long granite steps she was absolutely mystified. A ritzy "gentleman's club" in the upper east side, had been completely transformed, for the occasion. The place looked like something out of a fairy tale book. It was packed with woman wearing elaborate early seventeenth century costumes, while the men wore very expensive looking tuxedos. Kory went out and purchased a very expensive, six hundred dollar dress. She held the feathered mask on a stick close to her face, as she carefully made her way down the stairs, trying her best not to trip over the dark yellow ruffles, the outlined her dress. 

The party was far more than anything she had ever expected, it was like a stuffy over done affair, people actually seemed to be having a good time. They danced and drunk and some even dyed their hair to match their suits. Kanye West took to the stage and performed his latest hit. It was amazing the lengths Bruce went to throw the biggest bashes of the year, and ever year he out did himself. Kory turned her head towards the large clock her the entrance, it was ten o' clock so Dick had two hours to find her but, she decided to let him know that she was there.

She moved through the large crowd of people, and did her best to make it over to the booths on the side. They were long tent like, and Arabian style made of satin, she was sure that Dick was over there talking to someone important. On her way there Tom Cruise stepped on the back of her dress, much to her delight and embarrassment, and then she bumped into Paris Hilton. when Raven said anyone who's anyone would be there, she wasn't joking. The strobe light were slightly blinding but Kory did her best to find Dick, and finally she spotted him over near the side. "Hey." she said giving him a light punch on the arm.

Dick gave her a nod, to acknowledge her presence. He seemed to be in a bad mood. Kory frowned at his lack of conversation, and social skills. This was _the _event of the fall, and he was stood off to the side drinking, like an old man. Kory sighed "OK, well I just wanted to let you know I was here and," she turned on her seductive tone "I'll be waiting."

Dick opened his mouth to say something, when he saw something coming down the stairs that made his eyes wide. Barbara, in true whore manner glided down the stairs, like the tramp that she was. She could have passed for Kory's twin identical sister, from her waved of curly red hair, her height of an amazon princess, right to the yellow dress she was wearing. Seeing Barbara sent Dick, into a minor panic. He couldn't have his present girlfriend, and his ex girlfriend in the same room, especially looking like they they just got out of the cloning dock. "Excuse me." he said half- heartedly pushing Kory out the way.

Leaving Kory behind in utter shock, and pushed his way through the crowd. He could see Barbara's shiny glazed, and glittered hair from Jupiter. She was quickly making her rounds around the room, and got major mileage on her flirt face, within the first minute and a half, of her arrival. Dick's pace quickened because he didn't want to loose sight of her, not that laugh could not send frequencies through out the sound barrier. He finally got close enough to her, and grabbed her arm. Barbara spun around with a slight frown on her face. "What are you doing here?" he yelled so he could be heard over the blazing music.

Barbara smiled. "I was wondering when you would show up."

"I thought you spent every holiday in Bermuda?" Dick yelled. A combination of his frustration, loud music, and alcohol were giving him a horrible head ache. Barbara smiled again.

"Don't worry, I'm to be the social butterfly of the season, I'm not after your little girlfriend." With her piece said, Barbara returned to her fast paced night, of flirtatious behavior, and rock and roll. Dick rolled his eyes, and groaned to himself. He knew Barbara and all her tricks, there was no way he was going to let her get within a thirty mile radius of Kory, which would be difficult in a eight story strip club, with four thousand people. Then Dick felt a hand on his shoulder.

"My don't look dashing tonight." Raven said. Raven was a beautifully, dark creature herself, but tonight she looked extra dazzling. The black dress, that snug her curvy figure made the intensity of her eyes, behind her mask really shine. But of course Dick would never think of her that way, being sexy that is. Although she was five months older than he was, he had always felt like her big brother, apart from supporting her drug habit as a teen. He was resisting the urge to tell her to put on a sweater. "What the hell is going on I'm sure the fire Marshall are going to bust the place any second, and what was that little stunt with Kory I just witnessed." Dick sighed, while Raven started her motherly nagging., and he placed both of his hands of her bare shoulders,and applied slight pressure.

"Will you relax, have fun tonight." he said.

"How can I have fun, without worrying something is going to go wrong? Besides I have Malcolm and Gar trailing me like parole officers."

"They're both here." Dick said swiping two glasses of champagne from the tray of an on going waitress.

"Are you kidding me? They won't let me out of their sight. I had to run for it." Dick handed her a glass. Raven then saw Gar's newly dyed green hair somewhere close by. "I have to go."

"Here," he said handing her his jacket "and for God's sake cover up."

Raven sucked her teeth, and pushed the coat away. " Thank you big brother, but I am a fully grown woman thank-you- very- much." she said snatching her hand away, and marching off indigently. Dick shook his head, and stood in the mist of the night life, wanting it to fade around him, and lock him in an everlasting sense of peace and self righteousness. Just him and Kory, to the whole world melt around them. Dick gulped down his glass of champagne and turned towards the clock. 10:17. He had plenty of time to find Kory, though he wasn't sure how he was going to do so in the crowd.

"Shit." he muttered. He'd totally forgotten, the way he had stood Kory up a few moments ago. Hoping she wasn't too mad at him, he spun around and quickly re-made his journey to the other side of the room, back to where Kory was just standing. Not to his surprise she wasn't there. "Damn it." he whispered under his breath.

In the bathroom Kory leaned over a sink under a faded light. She sighed. She gotten all dolled up just for Richard, not to mention the near nine hundred dollars she'd spent to get there, and she was there for not even a half hour, and she was already alone in the bathroom, by herself except for the couple having sex in a bathroom stall. This was like junior prom all over again. Then Kory heard the infamous laughter of that of a girl that she had hoped to never see again. In a panic Kori forced herself into a nearest unoccupied facility. She put her feet up on the seat and tried to breath as shallow as she could, although it seemed unnecessary with the screaming couple beside her.

She could her the giggly group of maybe five, like some classic high school clique, their queen bee was Barbara. "I love your new nose." one of them said, while Barbara leaned into the mirror. Kory leaned forward inside her stall, and peaked through a crack in the side of the door. She could see them all now. There were two blond twins, two brunettes, and Barbara.

"I don't know twelve weeks of recovery, and I'm still not all that satisfied." she said. The way the girls played with her hair, and told her how great she looked, you could have sworn they were in high school, that or Barbara threatened their lives. "I don't think all this work is worth it, it's like I go in, hide out for a long time, and then the press notices anyways, what the fuck is that?" she complained openly.

Again the girls were quick to praise her. "So, I saw that you _ran _into a certain hottie Grayson, this evening." one of the twins said coolly leaning into a sink.

"Ran into him? I was practically chasing me." she said with a grin. Kory felt her stomach lurch, and suddenly she felt sick to her stomach. "I probably should have married him when i had the chance rather than letting that old faux red- cougar, get her hands all over my man, and money."

One of the brunettes scoffed. "C'Mon Barbara, her hair is way more natural looking than yours, and if I do recall your pushing-"

"Hey!" Barbara warned.

"Thirty!" the girl said. Kory held her lips in mouth to keep from laughing, but broke out into a hysterical fit of laughter. Luckily the girl in the other stall was hitting a climax. The girls outside got real quiet, and all that could be heard for a few moments was the sound of feet shuffling. Kory felt herself slipping off the seat. She pulled herself up, as silently as possible.

"Anyways if I have it my way Richard will be crawling to have me back before breakfast." Babara said coolly, " Once daddy billionaire is out the way I'll be set for life."

"You're not going to do something drastic, like murder are you?"

"What." Barbara said "Of course not, I meant we'd wait for the old man to keel over, or have a heart attack or something like that. Now let's get out of here, I feel like a high schooler."

As soon as Kory was sure that Barbara and her friends were gone, she practically fell out of the bathroom stall. "That filthy whore." Kory looked at her watch, she couldn't believe that she'd been spying for an hour, it was eleven forty five, and Dick had fifteen minutes to find her, and when did Kory wanted to make sure Barbara had a front row view. She quickly straightened out her dress, and fixed her hair. Tonight was the night Barbara was going to be no longer a threat. It was going down.

* * *

"Ten minutes until midnight." Dick said to himself. He'd spend the whole night off to the side with though less worries, he was a little tipsy from the champagne, but you'd want to get wasted if your ex girlfriend and current girlfriend were in the same room as each other. Maybe that's what he was worried about, he didn't know. I retrospect it probably wasn't even worth worrying about, there was maybe four hundred people at the party, and the odds of them running into each other, and dishing any "harmful" secrets was unlikely, but still Dick had this feeling in the back of head, telling him something was going to go wrong. 

It wasn't until ten minutes to twelve that Dick had actually worried, about finding Kory in the crowd, so he started his journey. With every one wearing costumes it was hard to tell where she was, then he spotted her bright yellow dress, far across the room.

Dick stopped and listened to the music, although he wasn't sure where it was coming from, or who was singing it. The voice _shouting Deceit! Oh, treacherous maiden_, went off in his head. Kory was moving pretty fast, and the groups of couples who had already found there lover were making Dick a little time conscious about time. He started to push around more, and the more he did the more the alarm in his head went off. The crowd was going faster although he wasn't sure why, it wasn't close to midnight (seven minutes away, Dick stopped mid way up the stairs and stopped again, Kory was maybe twelve feet away. Instead he ducked into the vacant men's room, and vomited lightly into the nearest open toilet.

"Fuck." he cursed to himself. He pulled out a box of breath mints from his his inside coat pocket. He breathed heavily before vomiting again, before he even had the chance to get a mint in. He stood up, and fixed himself up before casually leaving the bathroom, as he went out he glanced at his watch again, Kory had told him to stop wearing the blasted thing. She said the reason he was so up-tight was because he lived his life by an itinerary, and never had room for personal freedom, she was probably right. It was three minutes to midnight, now panic was setting in. If he could't find Kory he was screwed.Luckily for him he saw her very near by. Other masked woman was across the room, Dick pushed whoever he needed to, to get to her. The countdown began.

"Ten...Nine...Eight..." the crowd chanted in unison. Dick was closing in on her. "Seven...Six...Five...Four...Three...Two...One." Without thinking Dick gently grabbed her arm, spun her around and kissed her.Across the room, Gar spotted Raven near Malcolm. "Excuse me." he said bumping Malcolm out of the way, as he claimed Raven as his own. He could feel the jealousy exonerating from Malcolm and that made the kiss so much better.

There was something strange about Dick's kiss with Kory, it wasn't the passionate, it wasn't romantic, it felt wrong. As Dick pulled away he realized why it wasn't Kory he had kissed... it was Barbara.

* * *

Sorry this is about 2,000 word too short. I usually go for 5,000 per chapter but it's been almost 2 months since I updated and I really wanted to get something up. So to make it up to you the next time I update there will be two nice long drama filled chapters waiting for you.

Happy belated holidays. I got Teen Titans season 4 and a new Ipod.


	8. Between Friends, Lovers, and Lies

Hello, I know I've been terrible I'll explain at the end.

Disclaimer: Still don't own the Teen titans.

WARNING: sexual content

* * *

_"Lying is done with words and also with silence."- Adrienne Rich_

"Raven?" Gar said stepping into an abandoned strip room, it was dark inside and no one was even on that floor, but Raven had given him a note that said to met her in this room, and to follow instructions. Step two : Don't turn on the lights. Step three: Press play on the CD player in the corner. Confused Gar did what the instructions said, and pressed play then Hey You (Shakira) started to play, and the final step, step four: Sit down. He made himself comfy on a cushy Arabian style pillow surrounded by colorful curtains placed in front of a strip pole. He had no idea what was going on but he liked where it was going.

Raven slowly strode from the shadow, with hair down over part of her face, and she was wearing a long beige trench coat. "Raven?" Gar said suspicious.

"Shh." she said slowly making her way to him and stopping in front of the pole. "Don't speak. Do you like Angelina Jolie? Kory told me you did." Gar nodded eagerly. "Did you see Mr. and Mrs. Smith." she waited for an answer but Gar didn't say anything.

"You said don't talk." He replied slowly. Raven sighed deeply.

"I am trying to reward you just-shut up." She then dropped the coat to expose a very sexy bustier set, with a red velvet corset and a black bra underneath. Gar eyes wandered down to her lace underwear and to the strap attached to the black stockings. Raven did a classic stripper spin on the pole, while Gar watched in complete shock. Her dark hair whipped around her, and her curvy features shone in the dark.

"How do you fit so many curves into that... little thing." he said mesmerized. Raven smirked darkly, and carefully made her way off the pole. She straddled herself on top of Gar, and pushed him onto his back. He crouched on his elbows. Raven kissed him intensely while unbuttoning his shirt.

Gar was still getting over the shock. "You are really going to let me direct this." Raven said and then purred like cat woman. "I like that." His hands strummed up her stomach and his thumbs brushed the cold, metal wiring. He whispered something that was inaudible, it wasn't sleazy but his voice was raspy and romantic. She was not just getting a physical reaction out of him but, a mental.

This scared Raven for a moment. She chewed on her left thumb, and sat on top of him not moving. Her long, dark French-Italian hair cascaded over her shoulder on one side. Gar moved his hand up and ran it through her hair. For the first time in a long time Raven felt vulnerable. He put his hand on her cheek. Raven melted at his touch, her breath stifled and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. "You really have no idea how beautiful you are." he said.

She opened her eyes, and met with his passionate green ones. She wanted to leave, but her body would not let her. She was afraid of what he would say next, or do. Gar moved his hands, and watched as her sheer foundation shone in the slight light that came through a crack in the windows. Neither one took a breath. The sounds of the cars passing down in the city far below. The silence was driving her crazy, she shook her head slightly like a mad woman whispering no to herself.

"Raven I-" Before he could the words out Raven smashed her lips against his. Gar twisted his hands behind her neck in her hair, then laid down flat on his back taking Raven with him. He pulled her up, and put his arm over shoulder and she put her arm over his chest and they laid in silence, with the only thought of each others sweet lips against their own. Raven pressed her stomach against Gar's, and let him run his fingers through his hair.

His hand wandered from her hair to her back to her lower waist, above her small, perfect butt. Carefully maneuvering his hand onto her inner thigh, gently squeezing it. This sent shivers up her spine, he found her turn-on spot. Gar wandered how the all serious dark Raven, who was attractive and powerful on top, but underneath it all she was delicate like a dancer. The mystery that surrounded her radiated off her pale skin, and shone in her eyes. Gar quickened and hardened his grip on her thigh. Their breathing increased with the speed of their kissing.

Raven pulled away and stared at him in the eyes panting. "Make love to me." she said breathlessly. Gar smirked at her. He knew it was coming. He pushed her on her back on slowly pulled off his shirt, while she ran her finger up his amazing washboard abs. He hovered over her, and kissed her again. Raven did not stop kiss him, even as he undid his belt.He slid onto his stomach, and unclasp the strap on her legs with a small click. Gar then kissed her inner thighs. Raven through her head back, and leaned on her elbows.

Out of nowhere Raven realized something that deeply upset her- Garfield was being dominant. Raven was the dominatrix of her relationships mentally, sexually, totally. She squeezed her eyes shut for a second, and then pulled herself up. Gar was scared for a second afraid she was going to leave. "Close your eyes." she demanded pushing him onto his back. Gar grinned like an idiot.

"What going on." he said pleased to be going along with Raven's sexy, naked games. Before he knew it Raven had him handcuffed and on his knees. He opened his eyes from excitment and curiosity. Raven was standing in front of him, with a small whi in her hands. 'What are you-"

"No talking." she growled. She began to slowly stalk around him. Gently patting the whip in the other hand. "You've been a bad boy." she said standing behind him. Gar's undenyable desire to mount, and fuck her right then and there seemed inevitable. "Do you what happens to bad boys." she rasped in her low, sexy tone.

"No." Gar said. Then Raven brough the whip down on his back. He winced in odd pleasure, hoping she's spank him a couple more times.

"I said no talking." Before Raven coulld continue in her...sensual sexual escapades her phone rang. It was the familiar jingle of a text messages. Raven choose to ignore it. "As I was say-" then her phone rang again.

Raven growled. She stalked over to her bag hidden in the back. She dug through her bag, reminded herself yet again she needed to reorginize. Finally she found her cell phone. As soon as she flipped open her phone, the message one missed call flashed the screen. She quickly deleted through the useless messages and made her way to the text message.

Richard G. 12:57 Am  
Rae 911!!

Raven sighed. In this industry it was important to pay attention to all emergency summens. Raven pulled on a a long trench coat. She begrudgingly uncuffed Gar, and gave him an almost sympathic look. "Sorry things come up. But I owe you a rain check." With that she strutted into the crowded hallway. Dick so owed her for this one.

* * *

"Really I am going to make it up to you." Dick said hopelessly, following Kory out into the abandoned hallway, he had apologized over and over again for not finding her. As for Barbara, well that was a secret he was hoping they could both keep. Kory sighed again, she couldn't entirely blame Dick for not finding her, it just that she was disappointed.

"I know." she said leaning against the wall. "But there is no happily ever after for you, not tonight anyways."

"Kory-" Dick said irritable. he groaned to himself. "Damn it. I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry, God I've told you how sorry I am, and how much I want to make it up to you and not because it would make you feel better because, I really want to."

Kory shook her head. "You know what I was going to tell you I loved you tonight but- no, I still do, and really wanted it to be perfect. Because I do, I do love you." she said. Dick felt rocks fall into the pit of his stomach. _Did she just say I love you?_ He became very silent, as Kory waited.

"Well? Didn't you hear me? I said, I _love_ you." she said "Aren't you going to say it back?" Dick shook his head. Kory felt her heart break. "I'm humiliated." she said stomping away, but Dick grabbed her arm, but Kory tried to fight him. "Stop it! Let me Go!"

"Kory stop." Dick said gently pushing her against the wall, Kory stopped struggling and sighed. "If I said it now, we both know it was only because you said it to me. You have to give me time to, because I do care about you so when I say I want to mean it."

Kory sighed and gazed toward the floor as Dick released her arms. "Alright." she said very quietly, before walking away. Dick didn't go after her he had the feeling she needed to be alone. When she was out of sight he punched a wall, and then began his to slowly and quickly pace around. What was he going to do? How could be possible make this up?

_She said she loves me. _Dick walked home, he couldn't think with people around. He went through a daze, which was strange because the for the first time in his life the city was silent. He forgot the hustle and bustle of New York and it was peaceful, but for Dick the only thing on his mind was Kory. He got home at around two AM, and when he entered he just laid down on the living room floor.

Dick sighed. As he stared at the ceiling, then there came a knock at the door, but he did not get up to answer it. "Dick?" came Raven's voice. Did he call Raven? He didn't remember calling her, maybe he called during his thoughtless walk. Ever since Kory said those three dreaded words, he had been so messed up. He hared Raven enter the living room, but he didn't get up. She made her way over to him, and stood over him. " I swear to God, you had better be having a heart attack." she said laying down next to him. Dick didn't say anything for a moment, and Raven didn't ask him to, she just stared at him while he kept his gaze at the ceiling.

"She said she loves me." he said after awhile. Raven didn't say anything or change her expression.

"Oh." she said after a moment.

Dick shook his head, and bolted up. "That's it? Oh? She said to me, she said it to my face looking me straight in the eye and she meant it! And you know what I said back? I needed time, damn it! I-I don't know she has me so fucking screwed I don't know which way is up!" he yelled and rambled.

Raven sighed and sat up slowly. "Do you need time, or are you just hoping she follows you down the rabbit hole and feels as messed up as you?" Dick shook his head. "Beauty often seduces us on the road to truth."

"Beauty also killed the beast."

"But you're not dead." She said laying back down. "Raven one, Dick zero. "

"What do I do now." he said lamely, laying down himself. No one said anything was there anything that could be done? They both doubted it," Sometimes saying nothing is better than saying anything at all." It was the truth he was clueless, he had no knowledge of the workings of the female mmind. This why he dated shallow, gold diggers. At least he knew their main objective, wash cash and go. Complicated girls like Kory and Barbara gave him a migraine, in a good way.

Raven sucked her teeth, as Dick smiled a light grin of satisfaction. "And that's exactly what you said-nothing, and if you ask my opinion it didn't go over too well. Don't say you love her if you don't mean it, if you do love her instead of saying it with words say it in your actions."

Dick pondered this for a moment. Raven was right if he did not do anything to let Kory know he at least cared about her she would more tahn likely leave her. Love was so damn confusing. "I so do not get chicks."

Raven scoffes. Whether it was his graphic use of the word 'chick', or stupidity is to remain questioned. "Right because asking a girl wold be stupid." Dick sat up as if he heard Jesus knocking on the front door. For the roughly thirteen years that he had been best friends with Raven he had sort of forgotten she was a girl, and thought with a feminine mind. "Raven, please give me your honest views as a woman."

Raven sighed. She stroked her chin. How to answer this delicate question. "Alright, well maybe she...or you have to...why you just ask her and stop acting like a prepubescent teenage boy."

As much as it pained Dick to say it, Raven was right, he was behaving a wee bit juvenile, and he needed to man up and like a man just come out to Kory and tell her what it wa he was feelling. Girls liked that sort of thing...right?

* * *

Dick couldn't believe he was actually dragging himself to work today, he had literally got fifteen minutes of sleep, took a quick nap in the shower, and by quick I mean the cold water woke him up. He didn't bother to shave or iron his shirt. But he was surprised to seen Raven at her desk with no signs of being tired at all. She sat with her chin in her hand and stared out the window.

"Is it cheating-" she said not taking her glaze from the window. "if you have sex with someone who isn't your boyfriend, but the guy your kind of seeing isn't really your boyfriend either?" she said looking at him.

Dick rubbed his eyes with his thumb and pointer finger, it was becoming increasingly hard for him to concentrate. "Is that a rhetorical question?" Raven sighed deeply in response and slight annoyance. "OK, OK. Why did you have sex with Malcolm?"

Raven sucked her teeth. "What are we bestest girlfriends?"

Dick sighed. "Rae, I'm trying to be a good friend and listen, but I'm _really _tired right now, and in no condition to think of a solution to your love life."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Well, if you need me I'll be stuck in traffic for the next few hours trying to get down town trying to send out a week's worth of you reports." she said picking up a WB box full of manilla envelopes. "Oh and you owe me coffee." she said turning back into her office.

Dick was still tired and not aware enough to come up with a witty comeback. "Yeah, well you owe me... sex details!" he said a little louder than neccessary, particuarily when Kory walked in giving him a strange look. Dick need less to say blushed.

"What was that all about?" she said leaning against Raven's desk, her slim bronzed legs sunning up the small space. Dick knew better than to be fooled by her cheery exterior he knew it was all an act. If he pretended that what happened last night did seriously bother her, she would never let him live it down. Dick being the relationship confrontationphobe that he was knew it time to do serious damage control.

Dick slithered over to Kory, took her warm well moisturized hands in his cold and clammy ones. He tooked dead into her eyes, and confusion was present. "Uh Dick, you feeling OK?"

Dick didn't break his look. "Kor, I have wrestled with what to do about last night in my mind over and over and over again and...I can't find a resolution. Please help me with this." Kory sighed and pulled her hands from his. She slid over to the window and stared out it with her back turned away from him.

She didn't speak for a moment. "You I was hoping...imaagining that I was going to come in here, not saying words about last night and you would just...I don't know take it back, and just tell me you love me. I don't know that was stupid I guess."

Dick sat in the chair across from Raven's desk. "No, it wasn't."

"But you said-"

"What I said? Who gives a damn what I said. What I meant is that-I really like you Kory like a lot. More than I've liked any girl I've ever dated, even in my wild teen years of serial dating. I never even considered getting married it wasn't a factor I thought I'd need. But you and I have something that I strongly believe could turn into...I don't know...something great. And I want to take my time getting there. So please just bare with me here, because you're running with my heart and I need time to catch up."

Kory didn't look at him. When she finally turned around there wasn't exactly the look of happiness, but of contemptment and satisfaction. Dick took her hand, and pulled her towards him into his lap. Kory stared at him with they eyes of absolute adoration. She kissed him gently, and he gladly returned the favor. Lost in the sheer bliss together. "Come meet Bruce." he breathed quietly

"What?" Kory said back only half listening.

Dick's eyes snapped opened. What ha he just done? Meeting Bruce, intimately meeting Bruce was something he had never ever given any girl he dated the privelage of having. But with Kory he wanted to share most of him with her, she wasn't an average girl he was use to dating, he the weird part was he _was_ making an effort of work it out with Kory. "Dinner, with me and Bruce.."

Kory pulled away from her. "Are you serious?"

Before Dick could answer the phone on Raven's desk rang. Dick sighed and hastily answered. He wanted to shout what to whoever was on the other line fucking up his romantic office escapades, but that would be considerable unprofessional. "Wayne Enterprises this is Richar speaking." he spoke quietly

He was greeted by the unlikely, but oddly hypontizing British accent. " _'Ello Richard, it's nice to hear from you again. I was hoping to catch Raven bef_-"

Dick answered bitterly. "Well, Raven is not available for any afternoon delights, at this moment, but if you're so keen to contact her she can be reached on her cell phone. Good day." he said hanging up. He had been rather rude to Malcolm on the phone but Malcolm had been sort of a douche bag to Raven over the past few months, and whenever Dick and Malcolm had any sort of communication, Dick felt that he would rather talk to a baby chicken than to talk to him.

Kory sat behind Raven's desk reading a few memos, stuck on the drawers of her desk. "What was that all about." she questioned politely, not actually caring. Dick shook his head, hoping get back to their previous conversation. "Oh C'mon, any phone conversation with the phrase afternoon delight, must be an interesting one."

Dick gave in. "I was just having a brief word with Malcolm." he said desperately wanting to change the subject. Kory sensed his anxiousness and decided to toy with him for a bit. After all he was in the dog house...for now.

"Oh." she said curiously. "And why the mention of a random hippie sex in the middle of the day time?"

"Appearently Raven and Malcolm had 'break up sex' a couple weeks ago." Now Kory was genuinely interested, but Dick was not going into detail about Raven's private life with a third party. As best friends they had an unspoken rule to neever involve an outside source. "So about dinner-"

Kory sighed. There was no point in trying to avoid this. "Dick, are you just inviting me to dinner because yo feel bad about last night? Because I wouldn't want to pressure you into taking a big step you are not ready to take." shse spoke from her heart, a sensitive girl.

Dick pressed his finger to his temples. "Kory, if I wasn't ready I would not be asking. I want you to know I take you seriously. I am in this adult relationship for the long run." Kory grinned like a danzel. It was so completely sweet. Dick had a way of making her feel like a princess, he was just so good with his words. His words were a magical, and Kory couldn't help but say OK.

"You're joking, right?" Gar said leaning against The door frame in Kory's new bedroom, of her new apartment. She was currently pulling articles of clothing out of her freshly unpacked closet. That was ironic, she'd spent a good week getting all of her clothes out of boxes and into neat dressers. She just finished up this morning, and now everything was back on the floor again.

Kory asked Gar to come over, and walk her through a newly developed game plan to win over Bruce's affection. Gar wasn't so convinced meeting the parents, was not such a good idea. Dick and Kory pretty much just started dating a few months ago and introductions to the family seemed far too soon. "You should- I don't know have sex first."

Kory scoffed, while pulling a sweater from under the bed. She didn't appreciate Gar's lack of support. Of course she knew she was diving in head first with no lifejacket. As if her and Dick's currently and still processing relationship weren't scrutinized enough by colleagues and media reports, but she really needed her friends to have her back on this one. Besides with her latest information on the debatable infidelity in his relationship he was currently in no condition to be advising _her. _"C'mon Gar, it's not like you and Raven have consummated your relationship yet either."

Gar ran his fingers through his hair. "Whose fault is that And by the way you owe me." Kory gave a small laugh, as Gar plopped down on her bed which again was covered in an ocean of rejected skirts, shirts, and dresses. "I don't see why you can't wear pants, it's dinner and it's November, it'll be like thirty degrees out."

Kory picked up a pink skirt with bedazzled sunflowers, that see didn't remember buying. She frowned at the skirt, and gave it a disgusted toss onto the bed. "Because," she explained, yet again, "I want Bruce to fall so madly in love with me, he threatens Dick the internship if he doesn't marry me right away."

Gar groaned. "That serious." Kory nodded while furiously picked through some dresses she had yet to wear. Gar picked up a dark green sweater, and threw it to Kory. "Try this." Kory disappeared into her closet, to model her fifth outfit. She slipped the crop sweater it over a white sun dress and stepped out.

"What do you think?" She said vogueing and doing church spins see Gar could get a good look. He shook his head. Kory returned to the closet, and pulled on a dress that hung in the back without even looking at it first. "So, I was thinking maybe it was time for you to get a new place." she said in hopes of making conversation. Outside the closet Gar shrugged.

"Huh." he said lamely. He already felt slightly betrayed that Kory would move into a new apartment without so much as a warning. Lately there had been so many rapid changes to his life. He knew working with Wayne enterprises would impact his life, and he was stepping into a fast paced, live in the city life, but he wasn't fully prepared for it. Garfield wasn't so sure Kory was prepared for it, and he became annoyed at her pretending so could keep up with it all. Point, he wasn't up for a discussion on moving. Brooklyn is where he lived since he moved, and Brooklyn was where he intended to stay-until he saw a gorgeous apartment in Midtown.

He had been avoiding talking to Kory about the apartment, although he had already put a down payment on it. He _really_ wasn't in the mood to hear her say "I told you so". Kory pushed her closet door opened, but it stopped on a small pile of rejects. She pushed past the pile. "What do you think?" Kory asked for the millionth time tonight. At this point she didn't care, but if Gar had the patience to come over after her dramatic and tearful phone call, she could had to at least pretend she found a cute outfit.

For the first time since they had met, Garfield didn't say anything, he didn't even laugh. Just total and complete silence. Kory turned around and saw the look on Gar's face that was one of person he had just witnessed a horrific double homicide. Kory turned to her side, and caught a glimpse of herself. The dress she was wearing was baby pink, and had drastic ruffles around the collar and trim, with a giant beaded butterfly coursing the bottom. Kory didn't even wait to get to the closet to rip the dress off and stomp all over. Forgetting that her best friend was watching her in her bra and underwear.

She felt herself turning a bright shade of red. Kory grabbed a loose throw blanket off of chair covered in more rejected clothes, and laughed nervously as she stepped back into the closet. Gar shook his head, and sighed. It was going to be a long night. "So, do you have any plans for this weekend?" Kory asked sifting through the scraps of clothing left of the closet racks.

He listened to the stinging of the metal hangers scrape the also metal poles. He had always hated that sound, the sound of metal scraping against metal. Some people hated nails on a chalkboard, some hated the sound of fire works. That was something Raven and him had in common. Just the thought of having something even remotely similar to Raven put angels in his day. Garfield had found himself thinking about Raven most of the day, not in a stalker way. _I like to spend my time thinking about Raven, and when I'm not thinking about how I want to run my fingers through her dark flaxen hair, I think about how I want to stare deep into her mysterious natural violet eyes. My favorite genre of books is romance because it gives me creative fantasies of things I'd like to do to Raven. My favorite hobby is to admire Raven from a far, or image her laying naked in my arms. _Maybe he was becoming a stalker.

"Did you hear me?" the voice of Kory interrupted his thoughts. Kory slid out of the closet wearing a simple black dress, and a lilac button up. _Lilac_ Gar thought._ Raven smells like lilac, and white tea._ "Except at work then she smells like white tea and fresh rain- or maybe dew."

"What was that!" Kory said a little taken aback. Gar suddenly snapped out of his inner most thoughts, a little horrified. Had he actually said that out loud? Gar cleared his throat awkwardly, earning him and eye roll from Kory. Kory flopped down on top of the pile of clothes of her bed. She caught a glimpse of a bottle of red nail polish half way under her bed. She reached down and began to paint her toe nails.

She wanted to say something- or get something out of Gar. Damn, she had never seen someone so madly head over heels in love like this, well except for herself. But for Gar it was almost sad, he was acting quiet pathetic, like he was whipped. This angered Kory. It seemed unfair that Gar would waste his time with someone like Raven, after she had found out about her and Malcolm, not that she had any plans on telling Garfield about the two, intentionally. Kory felt so conflicted between the two. Of course she had an obligation to Garfield, they _had _been friends since junior high, and there for she had every right as a good friend to tell him. It wasn't that she had anything against Raven personally, I mean if she had suggested to Dick that he endorse Starfire Inc., she'd probably be still living in an impoverished apartment in Brooklyn catering at hippie weddings, bar mitz vahs.

Kory shook her head, the truth would come out eventually, and when it did she planned to have nothing to do with it."Kory, do you think i could have a real honest-to-God, work out in the end, relationship with a girl like Raven?" Garfield asked open heartedly. There it was the guilt trip. To be quiet honest Kory strongly didn't think Raven deserved a guy like Gar, and at that very moment Kory wanted Gar to march right over to Raven's place, make love to her on the living room floor, and then tell her it over.

"Uh sure?"

Garfield was flabbergasted. "You hesistated." he said as though he had heard some sort of new, and highly offensive curse word.

"N-no, I didn't." Kory stuttered in poor attempts at saving her own ass. "I just think maybe is more...compatible with Malcolm."

Gr shook his head. "You don't think I'm good enough for someone like Raven, s that it? Well, I realize that she may have been born into blue collar family, and went to private scchool, and has probably been to exotic countries I've never even heard of but that doesn't mean-' Gar stopped in his soon to be rant, and recomposed himself. " I don't even know why I'm talking to you about relationship advice."

Now it was Kory's turn to be offended. "And what pry does that mean?"

"Oh nothing." Garfield said sarcastically. "Just you know that things have gone so swimminglu with you and Dick...and Martin and Benard and Henry and that guy with the weird moustache."

Then what Kory said, she regretted the instant it left her vocal chords. It just shot up like word vomit. "She's sleeping with Malcolm behind your back." Kory instantly covered her mouth with her hand. Gar's chin hit the foor. Kory's mind scrambled with different ways to turn this into a joke, but her voice seemed to be paralyzed.

"Kory-" Ga started warily choosing the right words. "That's not even funny." Kory sighed and flopped on her bed.

There comes a time, an epiphany every now and again in a person's life, where for no particular reason they feel there are morally obligated to hurt the people the love. It is a painful decision that ponders whether or not it is the right thing to do. If the decision doesn't come easy then, they are doing the right thing, and must hurt the people they love. Kory felt like she was having this epiphany right now.

She sighed again. "Gar, I'm not kidding. Dick told me that Raven told him that she had sex with Malcolm."

As much as it hurt Gafield to believe it, by the sadness and regret in Kory's tone her knew she was telling him the truth. "When." he moused. Kory just shook her head, telling him to forget it. It was a poor attempt to drop it.

"Gar, I'm sorry I brought it up, from what I know it was before you guys were dating, like-I don't know the night you stood her up." she said quickly. Kory felt bad about having to mention this to her best friens, and she was beginning to feel a bit two faced. Raven never did anything to her personally, so for Kory to turn around and spread her buisness made her feel like a backstabbing liar.

Gar sat on the edge of Kory bed with his head bowed. He ran his fingers through his hair. "So this entire time she's been making me feel guilty about that, she was screwing someone else." Gar stood up stepping over piles of abandoned clothing. "I have to go...do...something." Kory remaind still and silent unitl she heard the gentle slamming of her front door. She really hoped this didn't blow up in her face. If this didn't do it something else certainly would. She's do cruise control later. Kory picked up her gold clutch, perhaps the only piece of desinger anything she owned. She had to go shopping for the most important dinner party of her life.

* * *

Raven slouched down into the water of her old fashioned bathtub, which sat off to the side of her bathroom. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the back of the tub. This is what she did when tried to relax and forget, but her mind went back to Gar. It was not that she really felt guilty, it was just she felt like she did something horrible. Was it wrong for her to have sex with Malcolm weeks before going out with Gar? It was his fault, he did stand her up.

She sighed and leaned on the over the tub, splashing water on the floor, she grabbed a black clip off the floor, and quickly pulling her hair into a loose bun. She closed her eyes and let in the quiet. The silence was quickly broken by sound of loud banging on her front door. Raven looked towards the bathroom door, and then submerged herself beneath the water completely. The banging didn't stop. Raven came back to the surface and inhaled deeply. The knocking on the door was becoming more rapid, and louder. Raven groaned and stepped out of the tub. She wrapped a towel around herself, and threw on a bathrobe. The silk stuck to her skin, as she quickly made her way to the front door. As soon as she unlocked the door, Gar roughly pushed his way in, looking distressed.

"Come in." she said irritably. Gar began to dramatically pace around her front door. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Are you sleeping with him?" Gar said with such force it made Raven jump. Raven shook her head.

"Am I sleeping with who?"

"Malcolm."

Raven gave a small laugh, and did not answer right away. She shook her head. "Did Dick tell you that?" Before Gar could react, Raven went down the hall and shut her bedroom door. When she came back she was wearing a black silk slip and a bathrobe. "Did Dick tell you that?" she repeated.

Gar closed his eyes, and shook his head in quick jerks as if he were having a quick seizure. "What? Why does it matter? Is it true?" While Gar waited for an answer. Raven sighed deeply.

"It was once a few weeks ago-" she said quickly to get her words in.

Gar put his hands in his hair, and paced around. Wordless that's what he was. He was half an inch from telling her he loved her, and less than twenty-four hours he's suppose to hear that's she been screwing her ex through- "The grapevine! That's how I'm suppose to find out! That's how you want me to find this out through the grapevine"

" Actually I didn't want you to find out at all. So Dick did tell you this?" she said coyly crossing her legs on the couch.

"No, K-" Gar thought about bringing Kory into this and thought it best to leave her out. "Someone told me." he said more calmly. Raven raised an eyebrow at him, and glared.

"So, Kory told you?" she asked accusingly. Gar was silent again. Raven whipped a piece of hair out of her face. "Your silence said it all."

"I didn't say anything!" Gar roared becoming even more frustrated with her fucking mind games. Raven was a mind fuck pro.

"Silence is a true friend that never betrays." she said with a smirk. Gar's frown deepened, he flushed pink, and looked like he could go a few rounds in the ring with Godzilla, and win...or come out with most of his fingers and toes.

He shook with anger. "Oh so we're talking about betrayal now? OK well Miss. Fuck the next thing with dick, we can stand a few minutes going down our right from wrong list, and I'll be the poor boy, trailer trash from Washington but you're still going to be the Catholic school slut!" he bellowed at her. "Here's some advice keep your legs closed, and maybe your mother didn't tell you that."

Raven was very taken aback, and became so infuriated. How dare he! She stand up now shaking with anger. "Well while we are on the subject of sluts and mother, let's take a tour on your mother- everyone else has!"

Gar looked shocked he had heard Raven could win a verbal assault against Perez Hilton, but that was uncalled for. Raven sat back down on the couch, and downed the rest of a flat martini that was sitting on her coffee table. "That's was not-"

"What?" she spat venom dripping in her tone. "Unnecessary? Kind of like you walking in my house in the middle of the night calling me out as a slut?" Raven shook her head. "I think you should leave." she said heading for the door.

Gar gave a small, sarcastic laugh. "Are you going to call your play mate, the second I leave? I hear that's what loose horny girls do."

"At least he knows how to fuck." she said casually. Gar became totally possessed by anger, for a moment all he saw was red. Malcolm with Raven, together, in the bed. He very roughly grabbed her by the forearms and slammed her against the wall on the opposite side of the door. Raven was caught completely off guard, and stared at him in total shock.

"Is that what you want? You want to fuck." he said his voice low and scary. Raven managed to pull one of her arms away from him, and tried to push him away, while he viciously growled at her.

"Leave me alone!" she screamed while he ran his arm up her leg, and pulled a corner of her underwear. Raven pushed his shoulder away, so they were both fell to the floor with a bang. Raven was on top of Gar panting, and mad as hell but he didn't let go of her wrist. She glared at him and scoffed.

"Hit me." he said out of nowhere. Raven gave him a confused look, and then glared at him. "I said hit me.'

"You're sick." she said trying to get up.

"Hit me!" he said louder. Raven used her other hand to slap him across the face. It wasn't a particularity hard slap though. "Harder." he said. So she hit him again harder this time, and then again. She kept hitting him with more force than the last. She stopped hitting him after awhile, and they just stared at each other panting.

Gar grabbed the back of her neck, suddenly and fiercely kissed her. She didn't stop him this time. Throughout the duration of their embracive, and steamy satire Raven pushed back his jacket onto the floor, and continued in the various stages of undressing him.

"Are you drunk?" he said while she unbuttoned his shirt. Raven ignored him, for a moment. Raven sighed and stood up. "Where are you going?"

She just grinned while slowly stalking around the corner on her way. She slowly pulled off her slightly damp slip. This was the first time, ever Garfield had ever seen Raven fully naked, and it was a sight to beheld. He knew she worked out but _damn_, she could give Jessica Alba a run for her money. Garfield hopped up from his arousal spot on the floor, and partially ran after her. As soon as he made it to the bedroom, Raven pushed him onto the bed, and stripped him of his attire. It was to be expected from Gar, that Raven like to be the dominant one.

* * *

Kory's left her room a mess, mainly because she had to find just the right outfit to wear to Thanksgiving dinner. She wanted to wear something that said I-read- the bible- every-night, without being to boring, and nothing that said this-is-what-all-the latest-strippers-are-wearing. On the plane ride, not that Dick noticed but, she ripped up twenty napkins. She ripped things when she was nervous, but she hadn't done that in awhile.

She took deep haling breaths from the moment she stepped off the train, but from the ride her breaths turned into hypervenulation, again not that Dick noticed. He sat staring out the window, partially because he was driving and he was lost in thought. Kory couldn't tell this about him but, he was even more nervous than she was. He had only brought one of his many girlfriends to meet Bruce, and Bruce was a hardass. Disapproving on Dick's former lifestyle, and he never liked his girlfriends. He wanted Dick to actually date a girl more like Raven probably because they had a lot in common, something that he had suggested to Dick many times in his younger days. Dick thought the very idea was startling and disturbing, on so many levels they had yet to be discovered by man. All in all this was going to be a very interesting dinner.

Kory watched the autumn trees of yellow and red, glow past her as she sat quietly in the passenger. Dick smiled to himself, for the first time all month. He had been quiet on and off in determining whether or not Bruce would be able to see Kory as anything other than a business associate. On one hand what was to like? She was genuinely kind and caring, she was perfect. On the other hand Bruce, was very selective of the people he adopted into his personal life, Dick wasn't even sure he had any friend besides himself and Alfred, his long time companion, and the fact that Kory worked for Bruce under Dick's recommendation was not doing them any favors either. So far he had felt good about the personal introductions about eleven times, and bad about it twenty times.

The stress was driving him insane. Raven was right: he did need to get laid. Dick sighed. Finally they pulled into the semi- circular driveway, as the tires crunched onto the gravel. The estate was a vision. The one hundred -forty acres of New Jersey backyard, bordered the insatiable Geisha tea house style mansion. Dick had alas believed that it was far too doe up, and was more over the top than necessary, but it was where he spent his summers and vacations as a teen. Like Raven his childhood was spent in Connecticut and teen years in new York.

An uncomfortable lurch stung Kory's stomach as Dick opened the car door for her. She took another deep breath, as they slowly made their way up the glimmering concrete steps. _Nice to see you again, Mr. Wayne. Shake hands with slight bow._ That was the plan. She had rehearsed it in her head forty times this morning. She took a breath out. Dick seemed to notice this and gave her hand a comforting squeeze of assurance. A short older man, Kory assumed to be the butler opened the door and escorted Dick and Kory to the living room, towards the back of the manor.

As they came closer and closer to their destination Kory's heart beat was so hard she was sure Dick could hear it. Dick squeezed her a reassuring hand. "It'll be great." he whispered to her as they entered the posh living space.

The living room was gorgeous it was a glass room with a comfortable fire going. Plush looking suede chair, that reflected the orange glow. Bruce was sitting in an armchair and immediately rose at the sight of Kory and Dick. He shook his head at them. "Good to see you again Kory." he said sharply.

The tone in his voice gave Kory chills. She swallowed hardly before answering in a small squeaky tone. "Like wise Mr. Wayne."

He cleared his throat quickly "And Richard, I'm sure you remember Barbara."

Both Kory and Dick's blood ran cold at the name, and low and behold there she was sitting in an arm chair across from Bruce. She sat with her dainty legs acrosses, heels dragging lazily on the floor, the air of satisfaction stifled the already awkward essence.

Dick shifted uncomfortable, and glanced resentfully at Bruce, a glance that went unnoticed. Kory held her mouth in an unsuprised manner, with much difficulty. Bruce carefully watched both of their reactions, he was clueless.

His head to Dick, to Kory, to Barbara, back to Dick. "Uh, please have a seat." he said offering them the loveseat next to the fire place. They both hesitated but, out of pure politness took a seat without complaint. Everyone basked in silence for several moments. Barbara seemed to find this amusing. Bruce, remained oblivious. Kory was starting to panic, after just fifteen minutes in the Wayne home of no conversation she felt like she blew her chance at winning over Bruce.

"So," Barbara said in poor attempts at making small talk. "Crazy weather, we're having lately." Dick responded in a grunt. Then Alfred arrived with a tray of flute glasses. He quietly placed the tray on the coffee table and left. His presence went barely noticed. Kory just felt like grabbing the glass, and downing the contents hoping it was strong, but she didn't want to make a bad impression so she decided to wait until Barbara tokk a glass.

Barbara seemed to understand Kory's method, shrugging she let her win and picked up a glass.

Bruce cleared his throat. "Richard can I speak to you for a moment." Dick glared up at him for a second, before pushing up from his seat. They excused themselves like proper gentlemen, before leaving the women to bask in the uncomfortable tension. Dick almost raced Bruce in to the shiny, marble kitchen.

"You invited Barbara!" he exasperated as if he'd been wanted to yell it from the mountains since he had arrived. Bruce sighed, he had been expecting this. He sat at the kitchen island and rubbed his teples, while half listening to Dick ramble on about how he was a 'conspirist' and that he should 'give Kory a fair chance'.

"Keep your voice down." Bruce said finally hoping none of the other guest had heard a fragment of the conversation. Bruce rose from his seat and strode over to the kitchen door. With one silent move he pulled the Chinese style, mahogony doors closed, and locked them. He turned back to Dick, the expression on his face of both grave seriousness, and hurt with secret. "Richard-" he started slowly, his voice not even qualifying as a whisper. "What I am about to tell you is to be kept between you and me. Meaning whatever I tell you right here and now will never ever be repeated under any circumstances. This room is Vegas, understand?"

Dick nodded unsure. He had been withBruce since he was eleven, but throught Dick's trying adolescence Bruce was Gotham's own Mister Serious, but he could always sort when he was serious and when he was _very _serious. Bruce sighed. "She's a fed." he mumbled.

Ice ran through Dick's vain. He could tell he had a confused/shocked look on his face, because Bruce continued on quickly. "Barbara is with the FBI. Appearently there is someone hopping from company to company embezzaling millions of dollars in extractoin fees, and owes the IRS twelve million in back taxes. The feds think it's a group, or an inside outside job. They are wanted on fraud,embezzlement, tax evasion, and a slew of offenses, but they don't know who he's working for currently."

Dick shook head quickly, reality was setting in. "Wait, he can't be working at the enterprises that would mean-"

"Exactly." Bruce finished. "I can't just shut down the office for a few weeks to do a full on indiviual, FBI investigation of every employee, that would cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars, and sponsors woud drop like flies."

Suddenly it dawned on Dick. Barbara wasn't the brainless, air head she lead on to be. It was all strategy, part of the plain so she wouldn't expose her cover. IT was absoutely diabolical. Which of course meant she was a whole lot smarter than he had given her credit for. That was slightly theroputic. In a way he was relieved, this meant that kiss was meaningless. "What happens now?"

Bruce shrugged and then pulled the lining of his jacket. "We return to our guest, and this conversation is now as nonexsistant as Pompeii."

When Bruce and Dick returned to the enteraining room, the was the opposite of the warmth feeling of conversation. The quiet exchange between Kory and Barbara was more than awkward. After Dick had learned of Barbara's secret he felt stiffer around her, like the most playful of insults, and he'd find himself tied to a chair, in a hot sweaty basement somewhere in Taiwan. The four dipped in several more minutes of noconversation, before drifting into the spacious dining room, for dinner.

Of course Bruce sat at the front of the table, and Dick sat on his right side. Kory sat next to Dick, and Barbara, to his dismay, sat aross from him. Everyone picked at their starter salad. "So-" Barabara said "Di-Richard are you an Kory you know an item."

Dick didn't lok at her. Instead he stabbed a piece of iceberg lettuce that lay taughting on his plate. "Yeah."

"So how long have you guys known each other."

"I don't know- six months."

Kory bit her lip. She had been back and forth between the short amount of time they had known each other. In all technicality six months was more time than it was given credit for, but when you said it out loud and considered she was already meeting the folks di seem lke they were rshing things. Kory cleared her throat. She did not want to say something cliche like 'but it feels like six years'. Even if it did.

"So how did you meet?" Barbara pressed on.

Dick was becoming very tired of Barbara's questions. They were annoying, and pointless, and none of her buisness. "Through mutual friends."

"Actually," Kory countered. "We were introduced to each other for buisness through friends, but we kind of had this chemistry that ust went together like carbohydrates and monosaccharides." she answered sweetly smiling at Dick. Bruce smiled while chewing on his romain lettce. He was glad to see Dick finally happy with some lucky girl.

Barbara's fork fell from her hand and clankered onto her glass plate. "Well that's lovely."

Like expected the rest of dinner went, like most of the evening, quiet and uneventful. Every now and then Dick would send Barbara a dirty look, something about knowing that your ex-girlfriend was a FBI agent, just made looking at her feel different. Kory boastfully detailed how well thier relationship, longated the usage of the words "together" and "love", just to sow up to Babs. Bruce seemed to really like Kory, which was the highlight of the evening. After a while Bruce and Kory warmed up to each other like wood and fire. They were laughing and having just having a good 'ole time, much to Dick's unrelenting joy. Besides a few bumps in the raod dinner was going according to plan. Eventually Babs got a phone call, and regrtfully parting from dinner. Not that anyone was mourning.

As the night wore on Bruce had a bit of buisness to attend to, so Dick decided to show Kory his old bedroom. He knew she was probably going to think he was a giant dork. A thought that crossed his mind as they mad their way up the oak stairs. He probably had a couple stacks of comic book hidden away somewhere. Dick hesistated as he turned the dusty brass knob of the sanctuary of his adolescence.

"Wow," Kory said at slight lost for words. Dick's room was like an average teenage boy, except way too clean. An AC/DC poster was wrinkled and falling off the wall along with an Aerosmith poster. Dick's room looked like it was modeled after the nineties. A very old, white computer that looked like it came straight out of the old batman TV series, was sitting on a desk, and a bulky, plastic tape player sat collecting dust in the corner. "Really something

Dick flopped down on his bare mattress, and leaned over the side, and pulled out a bow of comics from underneath. Dick shook his head at his own nerdiness. A flipped through the dusty pile, before dropping them back into the box and shoving it back under the bed. "Oh," he said suddenly jumping up from the bed and moving to the closet. He slid it open, and groaned at the sight of many stacked boxes crowding the closet. Dick carelessly shoved them aside and found what he was looking for.

"I knew I left it here." he said dropping a small gray safe onto the floor. He quickly entered in a combination, with no effect. "I can't remember, the combination. he said standing up. "I think I know where the key is." then he sprinted out the room.

Kory sighed and sat at the desk with an old computer, on it. She doubted that it still worked and even if it did the connection was probably too slow. She tapped and few heavy keys, and then the keyboard fell off the desk and clanked onto the ground. A few keys chipped off an fell down the vent on the side of the wall. "Shoot." Kory cursed as she picked up the keyboard. When she turned back to the computer and saw a small pile of yellowing paper, wrinkled beneath where the keyboard had sat.

Curiosity filled Kory. She unfolded them ,and saw that they were nothing more old e-mails between the two teens. She flipped through a few most of which was standard, late nineties teen talk. Until she got to some interesting ones.

R.Grayson17: hey Raven, are you ok? I haven't heard from you in a few days,and after what happened on Saturday night, I think maybe I should be worried.I am really, really sorry I know this was all my fault, and I will totally understandif you never want to speak to me again, but I just want you to know you are oneof the only real friends I have right now, and I am going through some times so if Idon't have you to kick some sense into me, I'll be really lost because no one else seems to be doing it for me. I use to get mad when you would lecture me by tellingme to watch my anger, because it made me prone to reckless and self destructive behavior, and it could get me killed. It hasn't but I'm afraid...you were right._Sent: 10/13/1999_

Kory eyebrows buried when she reread the e-mail. What did it mean. Kory always knew Dick had a past that she knew almost knew nothing about, but something deep and serious had happened between Dick and Raven as teenagers. But the question was what. Whatever had happened had changed their relationship even today. Kory didn't know what it was but she had all intentions of finding out. Kory heard the door creak open again, so she stuffed the secret e-mails into her bag.

"Find anything interested?" he asked throwing the small silver key into the air, and catching it.

"Uh, yeah very-very interesting." Dick smiled at her as he unlocked the small safe. The e-mail kept rereading in Kory's mind the rest of the night. Through the car ride home, even as she tossed and turned all night. Most people would not have even given them a second thoguht, but everyone has moments when they just feel like something important is going on. A sixth sense. Kory had always known there were secrets between Raven and Dick that bonded them together.

Then Kory remembered the night of the ball and the words Dick spoke to her. _She's done more for me than I can ever repay her. I feel like all I've done is let her down. _That was it, and Kory knew it. Dick had unconciously given her a clue to his past. A past he drove compulisively to shield from her. She told Dick she had found something very interesting, but when she said it she had no idea how interesting.

* * *

Oh someone's got a secret. I have known what the secret is for MONTHS, and in my opinion it's pretty good and you'll find out maybe next chapter maybe.

Alright so in January i started having problems with my computer. Whenever I try to save files on my FanFiction account the page expires so I can't save documents. It does work on m sister's laptop but she likes to act like a bitch and not let me use it, so I write as much as I can when she's not home. I've been so so so busy lately, and this chapter took me forever to type and it is by far the longest chapter I have written in fanfic history. I kind of like this chapter, but i can't wait for the next one.

HELP: I WANT TO POST A NEW SUSUMMARY, PLEASE GIVE ME SUGGESTIONS.


	9. Sessions

I know I said I was going to quit but three kind people convinced me other wise (Billie-Joe-is-hotter-than-you, and robinxstarfire93). I thank you guys it means a lot to me, so I can't fix the problem with my account, but this is the closets I have gotten. And thanks to Nightstar Grayson for the review.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans

* * *

_-"Everyone in New York has a therapist." Sex and the City, 1998-_

Dick sat in Dr. Warner's office the same exact way he did twice a month. It was said that everyone in New York had a therapist. That wasn't really true, it was more like, everyone in Manhattan had a therapist. Dick started seeing Dr. Warner about two years ago when he became overwhelmed with irrational fears, the root to him of which was unknown.

Dr. Warner cleared his throat. "Well Dick, congratulations on winning the internship." it was twelfth hundredth congratulation since Saturday night when he won. To be quiet honest if one more person said congratulations he was going to punch them in the face. Of course he was glad he had won, he damn well deserved it, but he didn't want people to remind him every thirrty seconds. He wanted to get his new job started and leave the memory of internship in the past.

Dick simply nodded. "How did you feel when you won?" Dr. Warner asked. Dick shrugged.

"I felt a rush a many emotions. I was shocked, and happy, and guilty, but most of all I felt overpowering rage." he explained. It wasn't hard for him to tell Dr. Warner his emotions. He had been seeing the man for two years, and really who was he going to tell?

He looked up at Dick, and scribbled down a few notes. "Why were you angry." Dick sighed, he WAS hoping to avoid having to talk to him about that particular subject. He hesitated, a gesture that was not missed by Dr. Warner.

He sighed. "My girlfriend Kory- I've told you about Kory?" he nodded. "Well…at the revealing banquet she promised me she would be there absolutely promised me she'd come and support me." he sighed again. "Well, it was getting later and later and she still wasn't there. I called her a hundred times but still nothing. So by the time Bruce- Mr. Wayne announced me the winner she wasn't there." Dick rubbed his eyes with his pointer and thumb.

Dr. Warner waited for Dick to continue. Every few moments he'd jot down some of his motions. "Then a few minutes after my acceptance speech," Dick scoffed. Acceptance speeches were for Oscar winners. He felt like fucking Miss. Universe. "After my speech I found out she had been in a car accident and was at the hospital. I felt so guilty that I was angry at her. I rushed over to the hospital and she was fine for the most part, a sprained ankle, but that's no excuse for me being mad at her."

"You said that when you found out you won you also felt guilt. Why is that?" Dr. Warner asked.

Dick remained silent while Dr. Warner stroked his salt and pepper beard. Dick always thought he looked like the guy from ABBA. "You know you don't have to talk about anything you don't want to." he explained like he did in every session when he didn't answer a question.

He shook his head, he needed to get this off his chest. "Well, the last task we had to perform for the internship was easy enough: sell tickets to the banquet. It was like they were using psychological warfare, trying to psyche us out. I went around Wall street flirting with cougars to sell ticket, but I was worried I didn't get enough money so I asked my friend- my best friend to do the unthinkable."

Dr. Warner was scribbling noted down like crazy. "Yes." he said when he was all caught up.

"I asked her to ask her father to buy a ticket. It was strategical, if has an influence over people. If he bought a ticket and other people found out they'd want to go to the banquet to hence selling more tickets." he said quickly.

"That doesn't sound so bad." Dr. Warner replied. "It's not like you asked her to prostitute herself."

Dick shook his head again. " No, but-" he sighed. "You weren't there when we were teenagers. I was. I know better than anyone else that Raven and her father-well, they don't click. That's putting it mildly. She's hates him. Asking her to even be within a ten mile radius of him is like asking her to sell her soul."

Dick had been haunted by that deed, since it happened. He was riddled with guilt. It was like all he did was hurt the people he loved. He hurt Raven-again, And now he hurt Kory. What the hell was wrong with him? Maybe that's why he had a shrink, to tell him.

"How did Raven feel?"

Dick shrugged, a motion he did many times when he was in sessions. "She said she was OK with it. But I think she was lying. She does that when she doesn't want me to feel bad about something." Dick scoffed. "Not like it matters."

"Why not?" Dr. Warner asked.

Dick shrugged again and sighed. "I'm not heartless, I feel bad when I hurt the people around me, I feel bad when I have to scold the interns. Like Kory, I know she wants me to open up more, and tell her things I've done in the past, and I wish I were that secure about it, but truth be told things that I know I should tell her I'm so ashamed that I did I haven't even told you.

"Did?" Dr. Warner asked. Putting down his pen.

"What?"

"You said did, so you were referring to one specific action that you did." Dick nodded. That was something Dick could not stand about Dr. Warner he never missed anything. He was as observant as a tiger in the grass. It was hard to hold anything in, if he couldn't get away with it.

"OK," he said with a sigh, "so there is something that I did that I would prefer to not let anyone find out, especially Kory."

"Richard, by holding anything from Kory you are only holding yourself back. He can move on with your relationship, but the dread of harvesting this secret will always be in the back of your mind. You can tell her and only then will you be truly moving on."

Another thing Dick hated about Dr. Warner is he was mostly always right. "Er, I'll tell you when I'm ready, but for now let's not bring it up again. As if I don't have enough on my plate without worrying about that. "

"Sound like your overwhelmed." Dr. Warner said quizzically. Dick nodded that was the understatement of the century.

"I try not to let my professional life and personal life clash, and get to my head, but lately I've been having the this unusual feeling that something very bad is going to happen very soon. I-I don't know what it is or what's going to happen but- I know it's going to be bad very, very bad."

Dr. Warner stared at Dick. He hated that too. A shrink giving him subway glances, it made him feel like he belonged in a room with very comfortable walls.

* * *

Kory wasn't sure why she was going to a psychiatrist. She really just needed someone to talk to, ever since Dick won his internship everyone had been so damned busy. Even Garfield was up all hours of the night with their restaurant opening. Kory almost had a melt down because she couldn't attend the opening. She and her bed ridden body laid in a bed all day. Of course she made Garfield call her every ten minutes with updates. Had Dick not so generously offered to stay with her that night, she probably would've escaped down the fire escape.

Kory smiled when Dr. Patton quickly entered the room. She could tell he had way too much caffeine. "Good afternoon-" he glanced at a manila envelope "Ms. Anders."

Kory crossed her arms. She didn't know how this was suppose to go, she'd never been to a shrink before. Dr. Patton seemed to be observing her, watching her every move. It was kind of creepy. Kory wanted to ask what he was doing, but instead kept a polite smile on her face.

Dr. Patton raised one of his manicured eye brows. "Ms. Anders-"

"Please, call me Kory. " she said. "Ms, makes me feel like a cougar." Dr. Patton nodded and jotted that on the manila envelope.

"Kory, tell me a little about yourself." Here it came, her life story. But where was she suppose to begin? She didn't want to tell him too much, but she wanted to let her stored emotions out and doing it to a strangers was easier than telling your friends or family. She was beginning to think this was a bad idea.

Kory took a deep breath. "Well, I work for Bruce Wayne at Wayne Enterprises. Uh, I turned twenty-five a week ago-" she stopped and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry I don't know what I'm suppose to tell you."

Dr. Patton frowned. He leaned forward and adjusted his square rimmed glasses. "A story can start at the end, and eventually move to the beginning. Have you ever seen the music video for 'When you were Young' by the killers?" Kory nodded. "Well, most people don't realize this but the entire video is backwards. You can tell or not tell me anything you want. You can start in the middle if it's best. The point is every story has a plot, and I'd like to know yours."

Kory could tell Dr. Patton was the methodical type. She was going to be hearing a lot of comparison, and story telling. But it did make her feel better. "Well I guess I came hear because I worried. You see I've been dating my boyfriend Dick, for a few months and it's been great-better than great, perfect even. But…" she sighed "He just a got a new job and already I can see he's going to be working a lot more and going out of town a lot. I can't ask him not to take the job-I mean he's worked for it for three years, that would be selfish. And I know it's far too early to tell but he's going to spend more time away from me."

"What makes you say that?" Kory shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Already she'd said too much.

She clicked her teeth. "I was in a small accident the day before he started his new job, and instead of talking time off to take care of me, he went to work. I know it's not his fault-I mean I told him to go, but still he could've protested a little more. That sounds selfish doesn't it. I don't know I'm usually not self centered."

Dr. Patton took off his glasses and wiped them with a cloth out of the breast pocket of his blue sports jackets. "It sounds to me like you have security issues." he said quizzically. Kory frowned, that made no sense. "You knew Dick worked a lot when you net him, correct?" Kory nodded. "Well, you are afraid that now that he has a new job he love for his work and his love for you will collide, hence rendering you of the lesser importance."

Kory understood. She did in some ways replace he need for work, when they first started going out but now he had a new job one in which he needed to dedicate every fiber of his being and all his energy to. Maybe she DID feel that she could never fully replace that need in him.

"Hm," she agreed. "that's-very thoughtful, but I work with him. It's kind of how met. I don't really think that's totally it, you see everything is moving so fast, I've met his father and that doesn't freak me out, it's great. But I know there are things he doesn't tell me and things he might have lied to me about." she said.

Dr. Patton listened intently. This is where is was getting interesting. "Why don't you confront him, if you're unsure."

Kory shrugged. "I know I should if it's bothering me this much. But sometimes I wonder if he thinks the same about me. Every raise of the eye brow, every sigh is like he's seeing right through me, like he knows I'm lying to him."

"Are you?"

Kory sighed. "It's not fair to him if I give him the third degree about his past because I have a past too. I know what it's like to not want people to find out. I know what it's like to have deep dark secrets. It would hurt him if I forced him to tell me everything and yet I manifest lies as well. He doesn't have to tell me everything if he doesn't want to, I just wish he would want to. Oh no, I'm a hypocrite. I an insecure, self centered, paranoid, hypocrite."

Dr. Patton must have been having a field day. Kory put on her polite smile and acted like her realization didn't just happen. Dr. Patton finished writing. "Kory, the first step to becoming less insecure to stop calling yourself insecure. If you think you're insecure than that will always be how you see yourself, and other people will see you as that too. You can make them think you are anything you want them to think."

She wanted a shrink, not a life coach. But she did feel better, maybe this psychiatry thing wasn't such a waste of time and money anyways. "I see your point." Kory said. "I do fell bad about not telling him everything though. I don't know-maybe withholding the truth is just a free form of lying, then again I have been lying to him."

"Kory go back to the first time you lied to your boyfriend. What did you tell him?"

"It was the first night we met." she said quietly. They needed to stop lying to each other, otherwise how would they ever know when they were telling the truth?

* * *

"No." Raven said before Dr. Allie could even ask. Raven knew what she was going to ask, she asked her every time she had a session. Every three times a week for the last five years. It was becoming quite routine.

Dr. Allie ran her fingers through her blonde hair. "No, what?" she asked. Raven rolled her eyes she knew perfectly well what she was talking about.

"I know you're what you're going to ask me, and the answer is no. " she said. Dr. Allie sighed. Raven hated being analyzed, she felt like a gerbil. Someone's science experiment. "You know perfectly well I don't like to play games, so why don't you jus ask me already?"

"OK," Dr. Allie said adjusting her glasses. She didn't waste time taking notes on Raven, after five years she had a good idea of what Raven was or had, but hey she was getting paid 250 an hour. "Has the insomnia gotten any better?"

Raven shook her head. "Nope."

"And are you still taking the sleeping pills?"

"Religiously."

Dr. Allie sighed indifferently, Raven tried to act like a lost cause when the truth was she was just a girl with some problems. Truthfully Dr. Allie thought Raven just needed someone to really talk to, even if she had to pay to do it.

"Dr. Allie, I have been seeing you for the past five years and I still need medication to get to sleep. Don't get me wrong I'm not an addict or anything, but I don 't want to have sleeping disorders anymore. I can't just stop taking the pills otherwise I sleep for like an hour every night, but-" she sighed "I just want to be normal."

"Hm." Dr. Allie thought. "Are you still having any other sleeping problems?"

Raven was silent, still debating whether or not to tell her. She didn't think it was important, maybe it was. She wasn't the psychiatrist. So she talked in her sleep, it was better than having those horrible nightmares. So she simply said "I don't want to talk about it."

Dr. Allie went on one of her usual lectures about how they'd never make any progress if she never wanted to tell her anything important. Raven of course thought it was all bullshit. "So what is it you want to talk about? Why are you here?"

That was a question Raven had been trying to answer herself, for years now. She just needed to talk. Talk to someone who wouldn't gossip her business to other, since she couldn't entrust that job to Dick anymore. "Er." Raven said rubbing her arms. So always became cold when she felt very uncomfortable. "I did a favor for a friend last week and I kind of, sort of regret it. It's not that I condemn helping out one of my best friends, it's just…" she sighed. "I helped him to help myself, but I had to sell my soul to do it."

Dr. Allie picked up a fountain pen for the first time in months. "And?" she asked.

Raven was so ashamed to say it. The words came up almost like vile. "I have to- visit my father. I've become what I never thought I'D become what I'd never become."

"What's that?" Dr. Allie asked stopping the midst of her note taking.

Raven took a deep breath. "A sell out. I've sold my morals and for what? A step up on the corporate ladder? I thought it would be easier than this. Everyone makes scarifies to get where they want. Everyone pays their dues. I just didn't think paying mine would make me lose sleep." she said. Stopping herself at abrupt halt. She'd said too much already.

Dr. Allie tried to stare Raven down, but it was futile. Raven didn't look people in the eye when she being brutally honest, she didn't have that much respect for herself. Every time she found herself being brutally honest, which was rare, she found herself revealing something about her past she wasn't proud of. "Why don't you want to see your father."

Raven flinched and fought the urge to snap at her for the inappropriate usage of the word 'father'. She remained silent for a minute. "I don't want to talk about it."

She scribbled a few noted down. "You've never told me anything about your childhood." Dr. Allie explained pushing her glasses off of the bridge of her nose. "Tell me something about your that." Raven didn't say a word. "C'mon, there must be someone in your family you loved."

Raven ran her fingers through her hair. "I love my mother, we're just not close."

"Who were you close to?" she asked. If Raven had not decided to give up crying a long time ago, this would have been the part when she started tearing up. There was someone she was very close to, whom she hadn't seen since she was a little girl, when him and her father had a huge falling out years ago.

Of course Dr. Allie didn't miss this moment of vulnerability. She was closing up and becoming as emotion as she could get. "Yes." Dr. Allie pressed.

Raven inhaled sharply. "I don't want to talk about it." she said quietly. Raven ignored Dr. Allie for the next few moment and took some time to regain her composure. She was already mad at herself for allowing someone to knock down that protective wall. Not just someone, someone who was practically a stranger.

Dr. Allie clued in on Raven's refusal to further conversate at took her own moment to review her notes. Raven was as mysterious to her as sasquatch, every time she thought she was close to a break through in solving Raven psyche, she changed lanes. She was by far Dr. Allie's most difficult patient, not that she didn't enjoy the challenge. But if she finally could decode Raven she would win awards. So taking advantage of other fragile mental state for her own self gain and recognition wasn't the most honorable intention. Dr. Allie knew Raven could see past her. Maybe that's why she was so guarded. For now Raven was like a complete basket case.

Unsolvable.

"So what's the theory for tonight?" Raven asked completely back to her old self. Dr. Allie sighed and reread her conclusion.

Her pressed her lips into a tight line. "Repressed memories caused by childhood trauma, and low self esteem. Do you have you want to add anything or are we done for today?" Was that all? Raven was afraid of what Dr. Alliee really thought she had and maybe she really had it: bipolar disorder. Raven couldn't imagine anything worse than than that.

Of course Raven had something she wanted to add. She wanted to one: tell her where she could stick her conclusion or two: tell her the truth. But then again she didn't want to talk about that either.

* * *

Garfield decided to see a shrink for one reason, today when he asked virtually everyone he knew to hang out last week they all said the same thing "I have an appointment with my psychiatrist". Since when did Kory even have a shrink? Well, if they were all ditching him for mental evaluation, he wanted the opportunity to do it to them two times a month. It was stupid really, ever since he started making a lot of money he was just searching for ways to waste it. Apart from a pricey apartment in Midtown that Dick convinced him to but, in partially revenge for Kory for moving to Manhattan.

"Good afternoon Garfield," came the strong Spanish accent of Dr. Suarez. It was have been sexy on a woman, but with Dr. Suarez it made Gar feel like he was talking to Antonio Banderas. "So tell me why you are here?"

"Well, I want to get one thing straight. I'm not here for any of the reason my friends are. I'm not crazy like my girlfriend, I'm not stressed out like Dick, and I don't think it's trendy like Kory. I just-want to see what all the hubbub is about."

Dr. Suarez nodded. Gar had heard that he was an unconventional therapist. He didn't spend his time reading books on the structure of the brain, or jotting down hypothetical notes. He spent his listening, like a professional friend. "So, you want to see what my job is and I want to learn a little about me. Why don't we play twenty questions, we both get answers."

Garfield nodded, he knew he was going to like this guy. "I'll go first. Why did you become a psychiatrist?"

Dr. Suarez gave a small laugh. "Well, actually it's kind of a funny story. When I was in high school I didn't know want I wanted to study for at university. My father was a gynecologist, and he wanted me to be a doctor so I became one. Just in a way he didn't expect. So I want to know about your girlfriend. Was there initial attraction when you first met."

Garfield hated thinking about the very first night he met Raven, it made him feels like an ass hole. "Well, no actually I hated her. You see her father screwed over my parents years ago, and I haven't quiet gotten over it yet. Actually I don't think I ever will." Garfield blushed he hadn't meant to become such a chatter box so quickly. "Uh, how did you meet your significant other?"

Dr. Suarez shrugged. "I'm not married or dating, and if you want to know my sexual orientation you'll have to wait until your next turn. So, how long have you been friends with your best friend?"

Gar ran his hand over the back of his head and squeezed his eyes shut. "Uh, Kory I don't know sophomore year of high school. I was new she was shy. So we were outcaste together." Garfield sighed "I don't know about Kory theses days, she so out of it. It's like she's trying to be this big business savvy and that's so unlike her she used to be like this cool chick that was so into the simple things, and now she's too rich to live in Brooklyn."

There we was off again. Dr. Suarez was more mentally persuasive than Chris Hanson. Like he was using his Jedi mind power. "Er," he stuttered "Are you gay?"

Dr. Suarez laughed. He had the king of powerful laugh that shook the room. "No, I'm too busy to date right now. I actually just got out of a long term relationship so I'm not ready to date right now."

Garfield scoffed. "You sound like my friend Dick. Whenever he doesn't want to deal with shit in his life he tries to distract himself by burying himself in paper work. To be honest with you dude that's bull shit. Acting like pain doesn't exist isn't healthy, but replacing it with piles of work is- sub human."

He pursed his lips, as if he found everything Garfield said amusing, as true as it was. "Actually Dick I think is ruining Kory. I never thought workaholism was contagious until I met Dick. It's like the closer Kory and Dick get, the less of herself she used to be."

"Do you feel like you need to compete for Kory's friendship?" Dr. Suarez asked. Garfield noticed his leg was shaking. In his opinion there was nothing more annoying than senseless leg chattering.

He found himself slight distracted from the initial question. "I guess so. It's weird, you know. Their in love and together, I get it. But Rae and I together and we're not suffocating each other. We would try to make time to be friends but, Kory and Dick are to crowded in their suffocating bubble of romance." he rolled his eyes.

Garfield glanced at the watch Kory gave him for his birthday. He knew this was stupid and old fashioned but he hated the fact that he was six months younger than Raven, but she was very dominating so why not. He was beginning to think this therapy experiment was a bad idea. "Er, I'm sorry I don't know what I was thinking." Garfield said standing up. "Sorry you didn't get to evaluate me and all." he said grabbing the golden door handle.

"What makes you think I didn't evaluate?" Dr. Suarez asked, while he gave the knob a twist. Garfield dropped the knob and tuned around, to a very smug looking shrink. He moved from behind his yellow wood desk, to his tacky green pleather couch that looked like it was straight of the set of the Brady bunch. "From what I can tell you have strong displacement issues."

Garfield turned all the way around. "Displacement…I don't have displacement issues."

"Sure you do. When you first met you're girlfriend you hated her based on an experience you suffered at the hands of a relative, and you feel resentment for your friend Dick because you blame him for the change in your friend Kory, probably because you can't bare the thought of drifting away from a friend you have known for so long."

Garfield sat back down in his chair, with a look a hybrid between confusion and amazement. "You can tell all of that just by talking to someone for fifteen minutes? Dude that's really fucked up."

Dr. Suarez shrugged. Maybe Garfield really did a to see a shrink, this guy knew things about him that he didn't even know about himself. How was he suppose to make other people know things about him, when he didn't even know himself. Maybe that's why everyone in New York has a psychiatrist.

* * *

I wrote I think four or five different versions of this chapter. I knew what I wanted but I didn't know how to say it, so I hope I explained everything important. Dick won the internship, Raven did him a favor to do so. Kory was in a minor car accident, and Garfield is an idiot. Sorry it took so long. I wanted to post this with another chapter but I don't want to delay this anymore. The Next chapter will be up no later Monday... I promise it's almost done I just need a few more things.

So if an update isn't up by **Monday** send me rude messages with every swear you know in every langage you know.


	10. The Other Side of this Life

Disclaimer: As usual I don't own Teen Titans

* * *

_-"At some point, you have to make a decision.  
Boundaries don't keep other people out. They fence you in.  
Life is messy." Grey's Anatomy, 2005-_

Dick whistled on the way to his _new_ office. It was weird, he spent maybe a total of ten minutes in his old office, for some reason he like Raven's office better. But he couldn't wait to get to his new office every morning. Raven personally decorated. It had in incredible view of the city. He had been in an amazing mood everyday since he started his new job, as the new director of media and franchise.

It seemed that everyone was in a great mood. Garfield seemed to be bouncing on his heels every time Dick saw him since the restaurant opened in February. Dick secretly new it was because he had been getting laid twice a week, for two months. Even Kory was impressing him with her business involvement. She had been active in every corporate activity and she seemed happy to do so. It made him happy that she was happy, he had heard she had been having sleeping problems since her accident.

"Good morning, Raven." he said pleasantly. Raven, moody Raven was a good mood. "You're in a good mood." he noted taking a sip from his coffee mug.

Raven shrugged. "As good as my moods get. So what's on the agenda for the day?" she said grinning. Dick smirked, they could be so childish sometimes. He sighed dramatically.

"I have a long day of interviewing candidates for the position of becoming my business partner. All day long I'm going to hear their credentials, and their bachelor's degree, and recommendations from their ivy league professors. What about you?"

Raven gave a small laugh. "I have a job interview."

Truth be told Dick thought having to actually consider other people for his partner was a complete waste of time. He wanted to be fair, but Raven had been there for his entire internship, she was the only person he could trust this job for. Not that you could tell but Raven was ecstatic to do her interview, in which she scheduled herself. She made her interview for this interview so that she could have time to intimidate other candidates.

"I have to go reorganize my portfolio, for my JOB INTERVIEW." she said scooping up recommendations, and other various materials for her résumé. Kory entered the room at the same time Raven entered. The minor collision sent papers sliding neatly to the floor.

Raven and Kory quickly jumped to pick them up, both receiving bumps to the head. "I am so sorry about that, Here let me help." Kory said very quickly, stuffing Raven's lap with paper. Kory stood up, and seemed to be vibrating with natural energy. Raven you look nice today. Everyone looks nice today. It's such a nice day out. You want to do something later?"

"Kory, sorry but you have too much energy for me babe." Raven said checking her black pencil skirt for lint. As soon as she was gone Kory turned her undivided attention to Dick. Ever since her accident she had all this unresolved energy that she didn't know how to use. She tried to get rid off it by working as much as possible.

Never in her life had she ever felt more achieved, she had never been so driven to success in her life. It felt great, no wonder Dick worked so much. Kory really didn't like going home alone lately, she felt so restless.

"So." she said sliding her finger along the huge stacks of W.B paper boxes. "What are you doing this after noon? Because I was hoping we could go on one of our fun little lunch dates. We haven't been on one in awhile."

Dick jumped to clear the boxes out of the way. He loved his new office. That was another reason he couldn't wait to get interviews over with, all these files he had to review was cluttering up his office before he was settled in. "Oh, sorry Kor, I'll be conducting interviews all day. I'll probably get home before the sun rises, but with my luck." he trailed off.

He pulled a small black comb out of a comb holder in his pocket. He slid it through his dry gelled hair. Kory rolled her eyes at Dick and all his metro sexual glory. "Interviews? For what?" she asked genuinely interested in his life.

Dick always felt like he was floating when he told people HE was conducting auditions for a partner. He was finally the boss, HE had control over HIS business. "Well, he said barely getting the words out. "I just found out I get to hire someone to be my partner so I have to hold interviews." Secretly he like getting to interview others. He had control issues.

Kory gasped. "I just a brilliant idea." she said. Her hyperness was overwhelming Dick's only thought was WE REALLY NEED TO GET HER ON DECAF.

"What?" he asked snapping out of his slight reverie.

"Oh no, no." This is a surprise. She said energetically skipping out the room. Dick had no idea what Kory had in store for her, but one thing he decided while in her brief visit was he was going to stop drinking coffee.

* * *

"Well, why not?" Garfield asked almost accusing. The really wasn't a real reason for him to be so upset that Raven couldn't go out with him this weekend. He knew she had been a bit busier, and she hadn't turned him down in God knows how long.

She shrugged innocently. "I told you I have plans for Friday night." she didn't really want to tell him where she was really going. Raven would rather claw out her own eyes than tell Garfield. Hell, she rather claw out her own eyes to go. She groaned apathetically whenever someone asked her what she was doing on Friday.

A FAMILY dinner with dear old dad.

Raven wanted to shoot herself, when he told her. But that was the deal: he bought a banquet ticket from Dick and attend, and she would endure a dinner with his new ditzy arm candy and esteemed members of whatever unsuspecting corporations he was planning to con.

All week she had been thinking of ways to get out of it. At this point faking a heart attack would have been the most believable. She knew Garfield thought she was being deceitful, but she knew he hated her father almost as much as she did. The only reason she was doing this was because she needed Dick to win. If he won she got a promotion.

"Out where?" he kept asking her at lunch. Raven sighed. Using a black, plastic fork to pull a mushroom out of her not eaten panini. Raven glared outside the window, of the dark café. She attempted to drown out Gar's interrogation with the cliché jazz music playing from the speakers.

Garfield rolled his eyes and emptied a few packets of coffee sweetener onto the table. He was slightly annoyed by Raven's secrecy. For months he had been wedging her to more open, but whenever something she didn't like to talk about came up she became as guarded as an oyster with a pearl.

Raven silently stirred her tazo tea latte. "Where did you get that?" Garfield asked noticing the silver charm bracelet around her left wrist. The aging silver pieces jingled when she pulled hr hand back, holding her wrist.

"It was my mother's." she said quietly. Garfield knew Raven wasn't that close to either of her parents, with the exception that her mother called incessantly they didn't really communicate. He wondered if he'd ever meet her.

He wondered about a lot of things, like when he laid awake at nights. He wondered about where her grandparents came from, if she spoke any other languages. She never talked about it, but he never asked. "Can I see it?" he asked.

Raven shrugged and unclasped the bracelet, allowing it to fall into her palm. Garfield gently observed the tiny, and fragile charms. There were nine of them, but two out both were a pair of ballet slippers. "Did your mother do ballets?" he asked rubbing the charm.

"Yeah." she said. "She was a local ballerina until she married my father which, was when she was twenty, so he made her give it up and become house wife. The second one is mine, when I was a little girl my father had primary custody of me so I took up ballet to feel closer to my mother."

Garfield sighed indifferently. He didn't know that about her. He didn't know a lot about her. "Really," he said passively "There so much I don't know about you. I don't think you know this but I want to know everything about you."

Raven looked up from her up, and groaned. Gently placing her cup on the table she sighed. "What do you want to know?" she asked slightly irritable. She never really liked opening up to people. She sighed. "Ok I'm going to dinner with…" she almost gagged just thinking about it. "Mr. Roth."

Garfield chocked on his cherry lemonade. He grabbed a folded napkin off the side of the table and wiped his mouth. By the look of his face Raven thought he might have an aneurism. "Ex...cuse me." he managed to choke out.

Raven rolled her eyes. Personally the thought of having to sit through anything with the monster that was her paternal father made her want to jump in front of a bus going at a very high speed, but really he was being a bit melodramatic. Garfield rose a few odd stare in the almost empty sandwich shop, but he didn't care.

"Please tell me Mr. Roth is your grandfather." he said. Raven brushed her shaking hands over her face, the charms of her bracelet digging into her cheek, as she got one stuck in her hair.

"Shit." she cursed under her breath, attempting to wrangle the feeble piece without ripping out all of her hair out. Garfield hopped up, and all willingly carefully pulled each one of her silky hairs. Raven nodded a thanks and pulled her hair into a loose ponytail. "Gar, trust me I didn't want to do it. I'm only doing this as a favor for Dick." she explained. Garfield cocked and eye brow. "It's a long story."

Garfield shrugged in his faux leather jacket. He searched his mind for an excuse for her. There was no way out of this. There was really no reason for HIM to get so stressed out because of this. He just couldn't get over what her father did to his parents. From what he heard Tristian Roth was although dashing, very cynical and maniacal. The worst thing to come out of Germany since Hitler.

Raven went to the register to pay for lunch. She liked wearing the pants in this relationship, she was a bit of a dominatrix. She groaned when they exited the luncheon, and into the windy March city. "Garfield," she said wrapping her arms around his neck. "If you don't want me to go I won't." she said between kisses.

Her little distraction worked, he was loosing focus. "But…but won't you…won't you get in trouble with your…him? I mean… I hear he's pretty close with to the 'family'". he said carefully watching his air quotations around family. Raven rolled her eyes.

Contrary to popular belief, and as much as it pained Raven to strike down that testimony it probably was as true as the lochness monster. She grew up around the man, and she could tell you he made his 2.6 billion dollar empire by being thoughtful and sly. He thrived on fine print and cunning.

If only that could get Raven out of dinner.

* * *

Dick was wrong about conducting interview, they were fun the first hours but now he was contemplating chewing off his own tongue for entertainment. He was so bored of the habitual Yale and Princeton alumni who bragged about SAT scores they got forever ago. All the same clean cut trust fund babies, who were never in trouble and never had to struggle. It was like they were all bred on Wisteria lane.

"Thanks you we'll take you into consideration." Dick's late afternoon drawl seemed to ring in his own office. The hopeful looked as ecstatic as if Dick had just told him be made partner. He brushed of his designer suit and curtly left.

Finally something interesting, it was Raven's turn. Dick would have been the first person to admit be was making a biased decision. He decided Raven was his partner since he found out he was getting a partner. Raven knew it too, which was probably why she wasn't as nervous she would have been.

Even if she did have the job in the bag, she still managed to impress Dick. She was so all about substance and did not fluff anything. She didn't worry about wearing her best suit, and put together a very impressive portfolio. "So, Ms. Roth if see you are well qualified. Do have a history of mental illnesses?"

Raven stared at Dick. She knew asking these question were routine but still she'd prefer not to have to answer. "Yes." she said honestly. "If you consider sleeping problems mental, than yes."

Dick nodded. He personally would have hated to answer these questions as well, and he thought whoever invented company policy needed to pull the stick out of their ass. Though he appreciated her honesty. "So, why do you want to work under Wayne Enterprises of all companies?" Blah, blah, blah.

That was an easy question. "I know that there are other companies that are probably easier to make a name in, but they aren't as legit as Wayne Enterprises. What they stand for is morally repulsive, and decision are as controversial as abortion laws. Most CEOs care big studio money hounds how take advantage of other people's mentalities to put money in their pockets. They don't care who they have to step on, as long it increases their own bank accounts. Wayne Enterprises doesn't screw over it's employees or the people who trust and buy product under it's name." she said.

That was a good answer. Again not surprised, Raven was always well prepared. Dick sighed defeated. "Raven, I think we both know this quite unnecessary we-"

"Dick, be fair finish the damn interview. I got my old job fairly and I want to get my new job fairly." Another good reason Raven was all too right for this job, she was a firm believer in deserving the things you get.

Dick ran his finger down the list of suggested question, they were all bullshit, the ones you ask interns. Dick wanted to see how much Raven really wanted this position. Dick knew what he wanted to ask her, and knew she'd want him to ask her but still he didn't know if he should. Raven waited patiently while Dick fought within himself. "Do you- have any regret about anything you've ever done."

Raven sighed and recrossed her legs. "I think we all have things we wish we had not done it the past, and of course there are a ton of things I wish I had not done. But regretting anything in your life is like regretting making mistakes, and although some mistakes are far worse than others, they are what makes us human, and I don't regret being human."

During the entire time Raven had been speaking Dick avoided eye contact, but not now. In a way it was like unspoken forgiveness, and he was hoping things between them could completely back to normal. "Are we done?" Raven smirked.

Raven stood up at the same time Dick did. "Thank you so much, we will take your application into serious consideration." he said shaking her hand. Dick placed Raven's portfolio off to the side. He pressed the cold red button to the intercom to the out office. "Will whoever is next please enter." he could get so use to that.

He sighed, Probably another high society, suit wearing, Wall street investor. To his surprise a familiar and professional looking red hair sped in. Kory was smiling ear to ear, perhaps at the confusion she sensed in Dick. "Hey Kory? What are you doing here?"

Kory adjusted the strap of a leather bag on her shoulder, and let it gently fall to the ground. "Well, I was thinking ever since I've been getting more involved in work I feel so…I don't know important for lack of a better word. It's great! And I know how busy you are being the director for media and franchise. So I want to be as involved as possible." as Kory spoke her hair was slowly falling out of her feeble hair clip.

"Wait, what?!" Dick said taking his attention off of her abnormally shiny and full hair. "You want to be my partner." Dick said with a smile laugh. Kory smile fell, and he instantly regretted that.

"You don't think I'm serious? Well, you know your are the one who lured me into your insane world, and for the past few months I have working my ass off, I have way more experience than the one hundred-thousand Starbucks yuppies you gave interviews. The least you could do is take me seriously." she said irritable.

He wondered where she learned to talk with such ice, it was scary. A habit a lot of people picked up from Raven. Dick leaned his head back and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I sorry I didn't mean for it to sound how it did it's just I- had someone I was really considering." and if he didn't consider her, he might wake up with a horse's head in his bed.

Kory grabbed the rest of her hair, and tossed it behind her shoulder. "Well, reconsider you never know I might be-" Kory gasped, and cupped her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry. Oh my Gawd I can't believe I did that. Raven, I know she wants this job." she sighed pathetically and drummed her painted nails on her knee. "But you know I want it too, and I know she's worked with you longer, but I have more familiarity with more in depth projects, I think you should really make me partner." she said staring into his soul with those deep green eyes.

As much as he really hated to say it, Kory was right about one thing: he should take her into serious consideration. Truth be told Dick would never hire a stranger for the job. He considered them inexperienced and incompetent. If Raven were to suddenly die in a terrible accident, like Spanish influenza, of Kory really wanted the job she'd been his second choice.

Sorry Dick looks like you have some decision making to do. So whose it going to be the best friend or the girlfriend? Either way you're going to be on rough waters with someone.

* * *

After an absolutely horrid evening at Tristian's over priced Manhattan townhouse, Raven wanted nothing but to take a long hot bath for the rest of her life. After sitting through a three course meal, with little conversation from dear old dad, she spent the duration of the evening rolling her eyes at his latest gold digging arm candy. She had to be Raven's age. Tristian raved about expansion to in the East like it were the Industrial revolution.

When Raven thought it couldn't get any worse, she was felt up under the table by one of his ass kissing cronies, in which she politely stabbed him with a salad fork. After two hours she promptly apologized for having to leave so suddenly. Crisis at the office. She hoped visits with her father was as frequent as Halley's comet.

Raven ripped off her jacket, and threw her keys on the kitchen table. She leaned over the island chair and basked in the silence, that was it her mood was officially fucked. Before she had a chance to dig out any forgotten wine bottles in the back of her refrigerator, a figure in the kitchen flicked on the light.

"Gar, what the fuck?" she cursed her .

Raven eased around the kitchen island and smacked Garfield in the chest with the back of her hand. She relaxed a little when pulled out a bottle of red wine from the French vineyards. "What the hell are you doing here? " she asked pulling a cork screw out of her silverware drawer.

Gar leaned against the silver stein refrigerator and cocked an eyebrow. Raven was really too exhausted to argue with him right now. He sighed, this was ridiculous. "I'm sorry I had some crazy idea you were lying to me, and I just…I don't know. This was pointless and I am an idiot."

Raven opened her mouth to tell him he was right about that, but the ringing of her call phone stopped her short. Raven sighed and ripped open her pocket book. She couldn't see in the dark and all the contents of her purse spilled across the floor. "Her let me help." Gar said standing up straight.

"No!" Raven said very quickly stuffing everything back in. "I mean I've got it." she said picking up her still ringing cell phone. She stood back up and put her purse back on the table. She gave Garfield an apologetic look and walked into another room talking into her cell phone.

Garfield stared at the pocket book sitting on the table, it was practically calling him. He convinced himself he was being paranoid. If he wasn't paranoid would he have broken into his girlfriend's apartment in the middle of the night, while she wasn't home, because he thought she was lying to him? Sure, Raven had acted kind of suspicious when he offered to help her with her stuff. He shook his head, he was ruining their relationship, with his trust issues, was there really any reason he should not believe Raven? He picked up the bag , and dropped it back on the table. He had an interesting story to tell dr. Suarez next month. He convinced himself that if Raven didn't have anything weird in her bag, he would never doubt him again.

He held his breath and began pulling things out. With every normal woman's item, he felt himself breath a little more. Breath mints, pens, receipts. Gar laughed to himself. His fingers brushed the bottom of the bag, and he felt his finger touch a heavy stack of something. Garfield pulled out the stack. It was a large stack of money held together with a gold money clip. He poured the rest of the bag out and there lay six more clips.

What the hell was this. No one carried around this much cash, especially Raven. Whenever Raven insisted she pay for dinner or lunch, which she did a lot, she paid with a credit card, and she even told him that she didn't like carrying around cash. Garfield fingered one of the clips, and quickly counted through it. Each bill was a five hundred dollar bill, so in totally there was 70,000 dollars.

"You'll never guess what Kory's-" Raven started when she got off the phone. She stopped short upon seeing the piles of money. She looked at the money and then at Gar, far lost beyond words.

"What the hell is this?" Garfield inquired. Raven stood motionless, she didn't move she didn't speak. Gar pounded his hand on the table, ejecting a jump from it. "Damn it, Raven what is this and why are you still lying to me?!"

"I don't need to tell you everything." she snapped snatching the clip from him, and stuffing all the money back into her bag. "Besides you don't know what this is, for all you know this could be charity money."

Garfield growled. "You think I don't know about you, and what you've done-"

"You don't know anything about me!" she yelled back at him. Unbeknownst to Garfield she was absolutely right. He didn't know a lot about her and her past, and how truly dark it was. Whatever he did know was nothing compared to what she was harvesting. "Admit it, this isn't about me. This is about you."

Gar grimaced. "That's ridiculous." he said quietly.

"No, it's not. You don't trust me at all, and not because I slept with Malcolm way back when, because of who my father is. Despite me telling you over and over and time and time again that I don't have a relationship with him at all, you're just waiting for the day I do something slightly like him! I'm nothing like my father Gar, and I'm so damn tired of you waiting around for me to!" she screamed at him.

Garfield scoffed and laughed mockingly. "You are such a liar, Rae. I know you lie to me all the time. First you lied to me about Malcolm and then you so clearly went to see your father and though you promised me you wouldn't. And now this." he said motioning the money clip on the table. "What are tight with the mob now. You can tell yourself you are nothing like your father over and over if that let's you sleep at night, but it'll never be true. You are just like him!"

"Fuck you." she screamed at him. Raven growled "Get out, I fucking hate you."

He nodded his head. "Gladly." he said stomping out, he purposely pushed into her shoulder as he left, and used unnecessary force when closing the door. As soon as she was sure he was not coming back, she dumped the wine half way into her glass, and downed it. In some ways she was relieved that Gar and her had just broken up, she would rather not get him involved.

It was the worst day of her life, and just when she thought it couldn't possible get any worse Dick called and told her that Kory wanted in on the partnership, and two and a half minutes later she broke up with her boyfriend. Her cell phone rang.

"Hello?" she shouted bitterly into the microphone.

"My, my testy tonight aren't we. This wouldn't have to do with abrupt end of a visit from a certain boy toy." came the voice of her tormentor. She tensed and moved to the windows, peeking out from the curtains.

"Why are you calling me." she said scanning the streets and glaring at random civilians. Any one of them could be him, any one on a pay phone or anybody using a cell phone.

"I assumed you got my letter." his husky voice drawled in her ear. She could practically smell the after shave on his greasy shirt. Raven pulled the crumpled letter sent to her anonymously. That read as so:

I have valuable information surrounding the mysterythat is Raven Roth.  
Unless you want to your professionalcareer to be over before it,  
begins you will withdraw 70,00dollars from your account.  
If you think I'm bluffing and don't havethe money by deadline,  
someone might get hurt, starting with your  
little boyfriend. I know where you live, and everything about  
you. We'll be in touch.

Raven knew whoever was blackmailing her was telling the truth, enclosed in the letter was a picture of Garfield and her at a party they went to on New years' eve, and a hair clip Raven had stored in her jewelry box that she hadn't wore since she was a little girl. She was afraid to call the police, she had never been exploited before.

Raven closed the curtains and slid down the window she none of her body was in plain sight. "You'll never get away with this. I called the police, and they're tracking this call right now. Your little plan is all over." she lied.

The caller laughed. "Lies. Judging by the tone of your voice I'd say you have got the money. Good for you kid your looks like that boyfriend of yours will live to grill carrots at his hippie restaurant another day. That's all for tonight, I have bigger fish to fry."

With that came the beeping dial tone, and he was gone. Raven stood up and peeked out the window. There was no way to be able to who was watching her. Following her. She paced around about, one fourth of a millisecond from hyperventilation. She reluctantly pulled the money out of her bag, and hid it in a cooking pot.

Gar was only half right when he said that Raven had a double, and it was a life she would do almost anything to keep him from knowing. Things were so muck more easier when she was single.

* * *

Kory felt like she was on top of everything. She knew Raven really wanted the job, but to be honest Kory thought she'd be better off being the CEO to some other company, and it's not as if Kory didn't deserve partner either. Still she couldn't help but feel a little bit bad about the whole situation. As Kory twisted the key into the front door of her apartment, she decided she'd feel better after a nice indulgence in that pint of cookie dough ice cream in the back of her freezer.

Her stomach dropped when she flicked on the lights. Everything in her apartment had been ransacked. Chairs were tipped over, newspapers littered the living room, clothes pots, future were thrown everywhere as if a tornado had been through. She dropped her bag on the floor and her jaw. Kory's eyes jetted around her newly destroyed home, she picked up the phone from under a throw pillow, ready to call the police. Before she had the chance the phone rang.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." an unfamiliar growl purred into her ear. Kory stomach tightened and her heart rate increased by about sixty percent. She felt her breathing come to a halt.

She blinked back her fear and shock. "Wh- who are you?" she demanded. She cursed to herself for sounding so frightened. She knew when dealing with things like stalkers or sex offenders she needed to sound assertive. "What do you want from me."

The caller chuckled manically. "I will tell you what I told your friend Raven, agree to my terms and no one needs to get hurt. You may have noticed that I didn't take anything out of your apartment, I just wanted to shake you up a bit so that you know I'm not fucking around. All I want is a little bit of money."

Kory nodded. "How much?" she squeaked.

"Seventy grand."

"What that's-" she began to protest.

"Babe, for the information I dug up on you seventy g's is nothing. Now I'll be contacting you with further information a little later. And if you're as smart as you're friend you'll get that money to me as soon as possible." he said before hanging up, leaving Kory to listen to the empty dial tone.

She clicked off the phone and slammed the front door. Her head was telling her to do so many different things. One part was saying to call Dick right away, that he'd know what to do. Another part was screaming at her to call the cops immediately, but a searing pain in the back of her mind told her to just pay the man, and forget this nightmare.

Oh Gawd, what kind of things could he have on her. She had a past darker than imaginable, she feared that if Dick ever found out he'd be so mad, feel so betrayed he'd never want to see her again. And she couldn't let that happen.

* * *

Dick listened to the cleaning woman vacuuming the outer office. E finished his interviews hours ago, and of course it came down to two. This was so wrong, not only was he being forced to choose between his girlfriend and his best friend, but his dilemma was totally unethical. If he was stuck between two people they should be two people who were equally qualified.

He promised himself that once he made a decision, he'd never let his personal and professional lives intertwine. He leaned back in his chair. "Fuck me." he told the ceiling.

He closed his eyes. It wasn't just the fact that whom ever he rejected for partner would me angry with him, but things would be so different.

If Kory was his partner, he would probably get credit for most of their project considering he was more experienced. But Kory was such a people person, she could win over anyone. She was always involved and a quick leaner, and could teach her everything she needed to know in no time. Kory was creative, and persistent.

Raven on the other hand had been with him for the entire internship. She had impeccable judgment, and had a bachelor's degree from the ivies. She always thought ahead, and came already trained for working at Wayne Enterprises. She had known Dick since they were children and, there was absolutely nothing she didn't know about him. Since she had witnessed everything he had been ashamed of, so he completely trusted her, and could tell her absolutely everything.

He put his hands over his eyes. "My life sucks, my life sucks, my life sucks." he grumbled on and on. Running his fingers over his cheeks he wanted nothing more than to be shot down by lightning.

There was always a part of everyone's life that they keep in the dark. It might be the deep dark secrets hidden in the shadows, the mysterious past that keeps haunting you, the lies the seem to become deeper and deeper, the insecurities and fears that infect your life. Or it may be the decision we make that can possible hurt the ones we love. There is a different side to everyone's life, they hurt the people around us but most of all they hurt ourselves.

* * *

Well here's another happy chapter. Tell me…what do YOU guys want to see happen?

PLEASE REVIEW!!


	11. Didn't We Almost Have it All

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.

* * *

_-"Those three words are said too much, they're not enough."  
Chasing cars, Snow Patrol, 2006-_

Dick had never been much of a procrastinator. Even as a young student he passed his homework in on time, he didn't like to stall. Unfortunately he felt the strong need to stall as much time as possible. He couldn't bring himself to make a decision for partner. He avoided Kory and Raven at all costs, a job that was made surprisingly easy considering they seemed to be avoiding him as well as each other. He actually expected a lot of ass kissing, and was mildly disappointed that they barely even spoke to him.

He hoped he wasn't the reason they were tense around each other. He remained completely oblivious about the black mailer. Raven paid the guy and that was it, but Kory took a different solution. Still she couldn't risk her relationship with Dick deteriorating because of it so she invited him to her house just to watch movies. Dick was slightly suspicious that this was a sabotage attempt. But, no when he arrived the sat on the couch and watched Leonardo DiCaprio sway Claire Danes off her feet in Romeo and Juliet. Kory watched admirable, wondering if this were them would Dick go through all that trouble, for her if they were in the same position.

"See how she leans her cheek upon her hand? Oh that I were a glove upon that hand. That I might touch that cheek." he whispered into Kory's ear sending shivers down her spine. He was naturally romantic like that. Kory pulled her ear away from his mouth, and kissed him gently. Dick responded by rubbing the side of her thigh. He asked, mentally permission to take her.

Kory hesitated but pulled from him and slowly unbuttoned the front of his shirt. She ran her cold fingers down his chiseled stomach. Gawd, where did he find the time to work out and look so hot. She straddled herself on top of him, and pulled her shirt above her hand. Dick didn't care what her bra looked like, if it had polka dots, stripes, made of frosting, he just wanted to see it on the floor. Besides it was dark he couldn't see anyways.

In the background Romeo was seducing Juliet, much like the way Kory was seducing Dick, not that he needed seducing. Kory kissed his neck while pulling at the top of his pants. She shimmied them onto the floor. Dick shifted positions so that he was on top, her back pressed into the suede. Dick was a bit quicker with the undressing. He pulled down her jeans, in the most needy and unsuccessful manner possible. He hoped he didn't seemed to desperate. He apologized to her by kissing trails down her back.

Her breathing shallowed as she closed her eyes attempting to control to growing flame inside her. He lifted her left thigh almost over his shoulder, and put himself inside her. Kory arched her back slightly, and reached her her arm out and grabbed a handful of a near by throw blanket. Dick matched each thrust in timely and rhythmic. Her moans were the the sinful chorus of a thousand flutes and angels. He drop her thigh, and ran his finders up her arm and clasped her hand.

He grabbed her by the waist, feeling the smoothness of her curvy hips. He flipped them over and let her be on top. She kept her eyes closed and pressed her stomach in and out. Dick put his hands on her thighs and groaned. She moaned his name. She felt herself achieve the highest point of love, and premarital bliss, She continued to grind her hips on top of his until it was clear he was finished. Panting and covered in sweat, Kory pushed herself off of him.

He put his arm around her shoulder, the both of them trying to catch their breath. "Kory," Dick said staring into the soul of her deep green eyes. "I love you." Before Kory could have time to react they were interupted by the loud banging of guns, Romeo just killed Tybalt. Kory leaned in closer to Dick, it was like everythig she dreamed of was finally coming true, she just hoped it didn't end like Romeo and Juliet.

* * *

Tensions in the office were so thick it could be cut with a chain saw. Dick took notice to the difference in attitude in Raven and Kory. They both seemed to be avoiding each other, and didn't stay in the same room for more than half a second. His guilt for making them wait for an answer, and the fact that he was destroying their friendship. It kept him up at night, whenever he tried to force a decision out of himself, irrational fear clouded his mind. He had this sick imagination that if he didn't pick Kory she would hate him and break up with him. But one night he had a dream Raven put a dead cat in his bed, the probability that she would actually do something like that was pretty great.

Dick still remained oblivious to the black mailer. He assumed the reason Raven and Kory seemed strained was because they were mad at each other because they both wanted the internship, he had no idea that they were avoiding each other because they both were being black mailed by the mysterious extortionist. Raven sat at her desk typing out projects for the unpaid interns, while Dick brushed in. "Raven, may I borrow a pen." he grumbled.

Without looking at him, she grabbed a pen out of the metal pencil dish on her desk. He mumbled a thanks and starting crossing out names. "Dick, I was hoping we could go over annuals." Kory said entering the tense office space.

"Kory!" Dick yelped. He was afraid she would think Raven was taking this opportunity to coerce him into into choosing her for partner. "We were just...I needed-" he stuttered holding up the pen. "Pen."

Kory furrowed at him, he was acting unnecessarily paranoid these days. But she in some ways understood, and tried to give him the space he so clearly needed. Subconsciously it was reverse psychology, she thought if she acted like she didn't want the partnership as much, he would give it to her. Was it uncharacteristically maniacal of her? Yes, but when you worked in this industry it required you to do things that were manipulative.

Kory rolled her eyes at Dick. "So can we go over annuals, or what." she asked. Standard procedure.

Dick nodded. "Sure? But first I have to go make copies of the already eliminated unpaid interns and post it on the company news board." he said after he was sure she was talking strictly business. Things were so crazy these days he could not be sure what was serious and what was sabotage. Dick backed out of the room shaking his head as he reviewed the interns.

Kory waited until he was out of ear shot, to turn her full attention to Raven. Raven tried her best to ignore her, it felt awkward knowing they were both being held for information they wanted kept out of the light. Now Raven knew there was something Kory sis that she wasn't proud of, and Kory knew there was things about Raven that they never ever spoke about but now evidently it was a seventy thousand dollar secret. Kory couldn't bear to just lay down for the bastard, plus she knew the if she just forked over the money this time he'd just come and ask for more later. It had to end now.

She shifted uncomfortably. "Raven," she said quietly. "I know about the black mailer." Raven stopped typing and her snapped towards Kory. "He tried to get me too. He said that he had information and tried to extort seventy grand from me. Si I called the FBI, and they got the guy."

Raven's expression remained unreadable. It was as usual hard to determine. Kory continued. "I am not allowed to give away information and I could get into a lot of trouble for telling you anything, but I trust you can keep a secret."

"Of course." Raven nodded once.

Kory stuck her head out the door, and scanned the hallway for eavesdroppers. She slowly shut the door while glaring at two lost interns. She hopped back into the room and pulled Raven onto the floor behind her desk. She pushed the leather chair out of the way and spoke in a low tone. "Apparently he has done this before, and the feds have been tailing him for quiet some time. I had heard that he was one the FBI's most wanted for fraud, embezzlement, tax evasion, and accepting false tax refunds. A rookie let it slip to me that he was a former government agent."

Raven gave Kory a satisfied grin. "Looks like this guy will be spending serious time in prison. " she said "But really Kory I wish you had told me this before I paid that mother fucker."

Kory gave a small laughed. "Don't worry it will be returned to your account, but in small doss. It's suppose to be discreet so you don't find out him."

Raven knew better than that, although her father was perfectly legit although underhanded she knew that anyone who could alewd the government for so long had help, an inner circle. As much as Raven hated this thought, she had the feeling it wasn't over, and that the extortionist had something much more devious plan, maybe the money was just setting the game in play. She had no idea how right she was.

The door clicked open, Dick's shiny leather shoes glared in the sunlight. Raven grabbed a nail filer off of her desk, and stood up along side Kory. "Kory thank you for helping me find my nail filer." she said talking slowly so Kory had time to catch on.

"What? Oh, I mean no problem." Dick looked between the two. He muttered something about girls and nails, and handed Kory a thick blue envelope stacked with pink, purple, and blue papers. "What's this?" she asked as he plumped the heavy folder into her arms.

"Annuals." Dick and Raven said in unison. They knew so much about Wayne Enterprises, Kory sometimes wondered if she would ever catch up. Kory (although she blatantly denied this) sometimes felt very intimidated by Raven. Raven was always seemed so effortlessly and overwhelmingly confident, but in an extremely nature and modest manner. Dick almost wished she wasn't, it would make this decision a little easier.

Now that Kory and Raven's black mailer was out of their lives (at least for now), they could turn their complete attention towards pushing Dick to choose a partner. "Dick I think it's time we had a talk." Raven said.

Looks like stalling time is over.

Kory and Raven spent the next hour dealing, negotiating, and threatening Dick, until he buckled and promised he'd make a decision within the next two hours. It was too fair on his part. He did just spend the last two week keeping them in unbearable suspense, when he was suppose the have a new partner within the first two days of conducting interviews. The idea was so mentally agonizing, as he walked down the sidewalks of the late winter New York, he found himself in front of a bar and contemplated drinking himself into a stupor to buy himself more time. Maybe if he was lucky he'd contract alcohol poisoning he be sent to the hospital. No, that wouldn't work, he wake up in the hospital and the first thing Kory and Raven would just say that he had plenty of time to think about partner while he was in an alcohol induced coma. Besides, a socialite getting wasted in the middle of the afternoon would cause shock waved and sneers though Manhattan.

Deep down he knew the ethical and fair choice to be Raven. It should be simple, the line between right and wrong. Raven was his manager, she did everything and more in her power to make sure he stayed out of trouble and that his life was as easy and smooth as possible. That was just how she was, ever since they were teenagers. It was totally irrelevant but, she would drive him to his house when he was too drunk to drive. She let him crash in her bed when he was too high to let Bruce see him. He felt way too guilty about all of that and tried not to think about it, but he owed Raven a lot. Although she never mentioned it that night in October of 1999, he owed her his life.

But then there was Kory, most people thought that if Kory made partner, he was some naïve love puppy, who was letting some gold digging, corporate raider sleep her way atop the social ladder. Dick really believed in Kory. She could do the company so much good. She was a quick learner, she was became deeply involved in whatever she did, and was a people person who could use her charm and sparkling personality to draw in the investors. It was pretty theoretical but she could possibly be the revolution and future of Wayne Enterprises.

While sitting in Central Park staring mindlessly at a statue of a dog, Dick realized that his two hours was up one hour and thirty-eight minutes ago."Shit." he cursed himself, fast pacing back towards the park entrance. Alright he made up his mind, it was the first decision he made and had no intentions of changing his mind now. He wanted to get back to his office before he lost his nerve and changed his mind, plus the girls were probably mad enough at him for breaking his deadline.

He wasn't surprised at all when they were waiting for him in his office. He was surprised at how quiet they remained, after the fact that he returned almost one hour late. He half expected them to bombard him with grief, for breaking his strict deadline, but they didn't even give hims half a glance.

Complete silence.

He took in the mocking tick of the clock. He straightened his tie, looked between Kory and Raven. Damn, they had on their poker face, in business mode. Kory tried to stifle a smile. She had never been terrible good at pretending to be completely serious. Raven on the other hand was not pretending to be completely serious. Personally she did not find anything funny. Suddenly Dick's procrastination annoyed her deeply.

"Kory, Raven." he spoke in his professional tone. "I feel I owe you both an apology for the constant delay in my decision for partner. I am sure it is very frustrating to deal with my obvious indecisiveness but I have come to a decision, that I have made now. As in right, of this very minute. That I am going to tell you now. Like right now. Right now, no more stalling." he took a deep breath. His heart was beating so loud he could hear it ringing through his ear. "I have chosen, and my partner will be..." he said letting the dramatic suspense take in.

Kory and Raven looked at each other, then at Dick, then at each other again, and finally back to Dick. "Dick, this isn't American Idol, get on with it." Raven said using the last of her good nerves.

Dick sighed. "Kory."

"What!" they said at the same time. Kory's tone was happy, while Rave en's was dripping with are-you-serious.

"Really." Kory squealed happily although still trying to keep Raven's feelings in mind. They were still recovering from their initial shock.

For the split second after Kory's name was announced time seemed to stop. Kory's mouth hung open, although she knew she had a chance of being chosen, she was not expecting him to actually choose her. Raven was a different story, she did not look surprised. She never looked shocked, but she did look angry. Raven sat staring somewhere on Dick's desk, shaking her head. Her mouth was opened like she was trying to say something but her mouth couldn't find the words.

The irregular bleating of Dick's heart now combined with deep marathons of lurch in his stomach. It was worse than he had imagined. He imagined her screaming at him, throwing things, something along those lines. He would have been prepared for one of her tantrums. Now he didn't know what to expect, and that scary.

"Raven, please sat something." he said quietly, his heart racing from the constant contractions of his stomach.

Raven glared at him, and then sighed. "I was prepared for this." she said finally. She pulled a perfect neat, and stapled packet out of her bag, and handed it to Dick.

His eyebrows furrowed at the packet, as he brushed though it. "What's this?" he asked.

"My resignation form." she said standing up and forcible shaking his hand. "It's been a pleasure working for you."

Dick was beginning to feel light headed. This was too much for one day. All of a sudden he felt like he couldn't breathe. He wanted to somewhere, back to the park, a fishing town in China, the moon anywhere that wasn't here. He loosened his tie, once he was done doing this awful deed he planned to go into isolation in his private apartment. "Kory can I talk to Raven for a minute." he said exhaustion quickly draining his body.

Kory nodded and swept out of the room. Thee second the door shut he heard fast paced foot stomping in the hallway. Kory was doing a victory dance. Dick looked at Raven with the most sympathetic look he had ever given anyone. Probably because it was one hundred percent genuine. There was only one occasion were he had felt more guilty in his entire life. He was such a horrible person, or at least he felt like one. He thought once he had a partner and told someone they were going to be very disappoint ted things would get easier, but they seemed to get worse and harder.

"Dick," Raven said very defeated. "You know I don't like jokes and I don't find this particularly funny. If you are joking I promise I'll overlook it and laugh about it the best of my ability." He wished she would have just cussed him out.

"Raven, I am really sorry. Really, really, really sorry. I know that nothing I say will make a difference to you. I never thought it would end up like this. You are my absolute best friens, and I don't want to end our friendship over this, and you're a great manager, the best. Please stay, I'll look into a different job, a better one just-" He groaned loudly ripping hair on the side of his head. "I just need more time to think.

Raven really, really hated that she was feeling bad for Dick right now. She wanted to be mad at him, she deserved to be mad at him. She just worked her ass off for three years and sacrificed so much to help him out during his internship. She sat through a dinner at her father's house for chrise's sake. She felt so betrayed that he had picked his girlfriend over her. She was so furious, they kind of ultimate furious in which she can't do anything but shake with anger.

She shook her head. "So I don't get the internship?" she said the reality of it all sinking in. Dick shook his head. "Thanks for the oppurtunity."

"Raven-"

Raven spun around to face him again. "I don't believe this especially after I-" Dick knew exactly where she was going with this. He shot her a hurt look, she stopped. She told him a thousand times before that she was over it, that what happened that night . He knew she didn't mean it. Raven sighed and grappled the air near her face it was so unfair she felt bad for him. "I'll see you later." she grumbled while she walked out the door.

As soon as Raven was gone Kory reentered. Her shirt she rumbled and her knees were covered in dirt. She wasn't very good at hiding the fact that she had been eavesdropping. "How much of that did you hear?" he asked her leaning back in his chair, full knowing the answer.

Kory shrugged. "Well, everything." Dick gave a small laugh. He appreciated the honesty. Kory plumped back into one of the seats across from him, and pulled it in closer. She wasn't sure how or if she should be asking this. Deep down her intuition told her that this was related to the secret between Dick and Raven. The e-mails she found back in his room. "Dick, don't feel obligated to answer this, and if you don't want to don't answer but..." she sighed "What happened between you and Raven."

Dick didn't look at Kory. Eventually he was going to have to tell her the truth. He sighed, he was so ashamed. "Raven and I were not good for each other by any means. They had a nick name for us...the toxic twins. I taught her how to snort cocaine and she taught me how to shoot heroin. Raven doesn't even remember half of the high school stories I tell her, but that's irrelevent. She did everything, the drugs the drinking to get attention from her parents, I did because I was so frustrated with my life, I just...I don't know. After I came back from China, things were so different when I got back. Raven was done with all that shit, but Bruce had me on such a short leash. That just made me more rebellious." he gave a small laugh.

This was the hard part of the story. She took Kory's hand and held into his palm. "She tried to warn me, tried to get me off the night life circuit but I was too damn stubborn to listen to her." he sighed. "I don't remember anything about that night except what I've been told. I... I was so gone that night, someone had enough sense to call Raven at this party I was at and she tried to drive me home, completely sober. It was late and when she was driving she swerved the car very slightly and a police officer pulled her over. I have no idea what actually happened but the next day, but I found that Raven had been arrested for possession of marijuana."

Kory shook her head. "I don't understand. What's that got to do with-"

"Raven was into hard drugs coke especially. She did blow almost everyday for awhile, she got really skinny I really thought she was going to die. Anyways I knew she hated smoking it...it was mine. I know it was mine."

Kory rubbed Dick's hand with her thumb. "Why would she have your weed?"

Dick shook his head. He despised the fact that Raven would do this for him. There was nothing in it for her at the time, she did it because they were friends and she didn't want him to get in trouble. "After I ran away Bruce would have never trusted me again, she knew that couldn't happen so she took the pot from me before the cops found it on me. She went to jail. But that's not the worst part." he swallowed. "I hadn't seen her for a few days after that and I got really worried. I don't know why but I knew something was really wrong. I tried calling and e-mailing but nothing."

"Eventually I went to her house and-" he couldn't get the words out. He suppressed this memory for so long. It changed his life, and he had always resented that it was his fault.

"It's all right." Kory encouraged him softly.

Dick's face grimaced. His eyes and voice suddenly shaking with anger. "Her face and body was covered in bruises. Like she had been in a car accident. Her father..."

"He hit her?" Kory guessed. She had no idea how sinister Raven's life was. She didn't see all the emotional torture she endured. Truthfully Raven's father never hit her until this occasion. He yelled at her, but never laid a hand on her until then. Evidently he was embarrassed about her run in with the law. He was afraid it would hurt his own image. Dick glared at the distance. "No, he beat the hell out of her." he sighed his face softening. "I can not believe...it was my fault. I wish I would've just quit doing that shit like Raven told me. If I had that would have never happened."

Kory was at a lost for words. She wanted to make him feel better, she didn't think this was his fault. She knew nothing she said would make him feel better, he felt guilty and telling him it was not his fault would only makes it worse. She didn't try to lighten his mood, not that she could have anyways..

He had never realized how similar he was to Romeo Montague. They were both young, they were both in love, they had both chosen their lovers over their best friends. Although Kory saw her life ending like the childhood fairytale, Dick saw his ending like Romeo's...in disaster.

* * *

The first thing Raven did when she left Dick's office was escape to the closet empty room. It was the copy room abandoned for hours. Everyone, except for the important people, were home by now. She didn't bother turning on the light. She just started kicking the door over and over."Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" she screamed ever time she kicked the door. She groaned and kicked it again. The light behind her flicked on causing her the jump. She rolled her eyes. "What do you always lurking in the shadows, just to waiting to scare me.

Garfield shrugged and stood up from the opposite wall. Raven straightened her skirt. "What was that?" Garfield asked carelessly. Work to him was a huge drag, ever since he and Raven broke up if he was away from the restaurant he was miserable. Raven put her hand on the door knob but turned back around. She sighed, she couldn't believe she was going to do this. "I'm German." she said walking half way between them. "Half German. Half German, half French. I know you haven't seen that combination since World War one." she said giving a small insignificant laugh.

"What?" Garfield asked.

She slid down the wall next to him and crossed her ankles. "You wanted to know about me so I'm telling you." Gar tried unsuccessful to hide the smile emitting from his face. "My father's father- my grandfather was born in Germany. He moved to the states before the war. He taught me how to speak German and play the piano."

He flung her hair behind her shoulder. "Where were you born." he asked.

"Munich."

Secretly he was ecstatic that she was finally opening up. They were no longer mental strangers, they where going to know everything about each other. He knew it wasn't easy for her to open up to people, she was secretive and liked to not tell anyone anything. He appreciated her allowing him to be an exception to he sacred rule. Raven brought his hand to her face. "Rae," he said "What is this?"

Raven shrugged. She wasn't sure. Where they even compatible with each other The phrase opposites attract was probably the most over used, and cliché term ever to be used. But it seemed to be proving itself to be true. I worked for Dick and Kory, but Raven and Garfield were so different. Raven was serious, head strong, stubborn, and dominating. Gar was laid back. They broke up and made up and fought, and that usually ended up in them having sex. Raven shrugged and leaned in towards him. "I guess this is us making up." she said pressing her lips against his.

He didn't fight back. He didn't want to fight with her anymore. Their tongues did fight for control over the others mouth. Raven won, and Gar didn't want it any other way. There moment of white hot passion because the phone rang. Raven had half a mind not to answer. Reluctantly Garfield pulled away first. She groaned and grabbed the phone on the table, she growled.

"Wanye Enterprises this is Raven speaking." she recited. She didn't recognize the smooth voice on the other line. He asked for Kory. She furrowed. "She's not here right now may I take a message?" she asked rolling her eyes, and winking at Gar. Suddenly her eye widened. She roughly grabbed a yellow notebook off the table. She ripped a piece of paper out of the notebook so harshly it crumpled. she was writing so quickly Gar thought she was going to get carpal tunnel syndrome. She hung up the phone and wildly spun around. "I have to get to the copy room!" she explained quickly.

Something big must be happening. She crushed her lips quickly against his again. "Come to my house around midnight and we'll have make up sex." she said before runinng down the hall to the copy room. She was gone so quickly Garfield didn't have time to register, but he did hear the words 'her house' and 'sex'. Raven ran down the hall ejecting a few strange looks, but she didn't care. She flung open the door and just the guy on the phone said sheets of paper were printing from the fax machine.

She ripped out the five sheets of documents, and quickly read it. Kory was a liar, she was a liar and Raven now held the evidence in her hands. It was too ironic. too perfect. If it weren't so devious she would have smiled. It looks like it's time Kory learned that revenge is a bitch. She was going to learn alright, and she was going to learn it the hard way.

Raven promptly requested Kory's indiviual appearance at the bar across down stairs. Kory was on the fence about how she should feel. It was good that Raven was at least talking to her, but this could just be a clever plan to slip roffies in her drink, drag her into the back alley, and chop her into a thousand pieces with an ax. She flashed the beefy bouncer her work I.D. He stepped to the side, and unclasped the red rope.

Ninety percent of the people there were from work. They had the long-week-and-too-much-work look on their face. Kory spotted out Raven at the bar. She cleared her throat moving sitting on the eel skin bar stool. Raven glanced at Kory and took a sip from her mojito. Kory cleared her throat again. "Raven.' she said.

Kory ordered a cosmo from the waiter, and waited for Raven to explain what all this was. She didn't know if she should apologize. "Raven, I can't say that I am so sorry that I made partner, because I'm not. I really did want the job. I am however sorry, that I hurt your feelings. My goal was not to upset you, I promise I will try to get you more involved and-"

Raven interupted her with a scoff and a small laugh. "Kory you are not cut out for this job at all. Working in the corporate is different from your happy, rainbows and sunshine world, it's even different from the real world. I've been in this a lot longer than you so trust me when I say you can't handle it."

This offended Kory a little bit. I mean sure she wasn't the most experienced but that did call for name calling. "And why do you think I can't cut it here."

Raven gave a small laugh again. "First of all you just apologized to me. First rule don't make apologies to anyone. Shit happens and things go wrong. Apologizing is like admitting it was your fault, and as a partner of media and franchise it's never your fault. Although you are wrong in this case. Don't get me wrong I'm not trying give you advice." she said poking a mint leaf with her thin coffee stirrer. "Like I said this is no fantasy. This isn't the part where I say congratulations, and take it all in strife, and- I don't know do something very corny like mentor you or something."

Worse case senario. Raven was mad as hell, and she wasn't going to forget about it that easily. Kory thought she was being usually immature. It was just a job, there would be other jobs, better jobs. It really mad her angry that Raven would think think so little of her. She knew she was disappointed but she didn't need to act so damn bitter. "Tell me Raven, how does it feel to be knocked off your throne?" Kory said grimly.

Raven glare at the bar tender, a sinister smile crept across her face." Tell me Kory," she said turning back to her. "how does your husband feel about you dating Dick?" Kory eyes widened and her heart sped up rapidly. There was no way she could have known that. Raven make a mock pout. "Oh no, that's right he doesn't know about him. I guess that's means Dick doesn't know your married." she shrugged coldly. "Too bad. I think he was really falling for you too."

The life they could have been together, if she told him from day one. The heart felt like it was going to burst through her chest. The bar tender placed the cosmo in front of her and she downed the whole glass in about four seconds. Maybe I should quit now, then maybe she won't tell Dick. Kory thought to herself. No, if I back down now she'll walk all over me. Maybe he'll understand. Yeah, right.

Kory knew she should have just told Dick from the very beginning. She should have never kept secrets. Eventually they always come back to haunt you. She did everything to keep it from him. She thought that if he loved her enough he'd see past it, forget about it. Sometimes saying 'I love you' just isn't enough. It makes you wonder: which is stronger love or lies. Well, Kory I looks like your about to find out.

* * *

I bet you thought he was going to pick Raven. Surprise! Kory is married? Surprise. I know, that sex scene was much delayed. I was trying to avoid it, I'm not good at writing sex scenes. There you have it Dick and Raven's big secret, hope it was interesting.

Something very bad happened to me. I started writing this chapter, and my computer malfunctioned and will not turn on. All my progress (which was three pages) gone. I still can't get on. I rewrote this entire chapter on my sister's laptop in two days. So expect an update soon, but I am consumed in reading Breaking Dawn.


	12. Cat Scratch Fever

OK you guys I know I don't have the best grammar of fan fiction, but I really must defend my spelling. I always a spell check. Anyways I got a beta reader and she gave me very helpful advice and I will try to harder on the spelling and grammar.

Disclaimer: I do not own the teen titans

* * *

_-"Life sucks, and then you die." Breaking Dawn, 2008-_

Kory needed a handful of sleeping pills to get to sleep that night. The thought of having to having to face Raven, after their confrontation that night, sent marathons of shivers down her spine. It wasn't facing Raven she was afraid of, it thought of Dick breaking up with her, finding out the truth. And from Raven no less! Why would he want her? It wasn't like she lied about what she got him for his birthday.

She was married!_ Is_ married.

Married, wasn't even the entire lie, it was a mere cherry in her pie of untruths. She dragged herself out of bed that morning at the obnoxious alarm clock. It was weird her hands were shaking so violently she could barely hold her cup of coffee. Nerves probably. She didn't want her first day as partner to be ruined by fear. She should be happy, she was partner after all.

After their impromptu rendezvous last night the last words Raven had spoken to her haunted her through the night and the ride to work. "Kory Anders you are a liar, and you knew this couldn't stay hidden forever." Truly chilling.

In all fairness part of Kory, knew Raven deserved to wreck revenge. She had worked for that job for three years, just to have it stolen by her boss's girlfriend. The other part told Kory that these things happened all the time and Raven needed to suck it up. Sympathy, anger, and fear battled Kory's mind as the elevator stopped on her floor.

Dick was waiting for her all smiles. I guess that meant Raven didn't tell him. Kory gave a small sigh of relief. "Welcome to the thirtieth floor _partner_." he said giving her a light and friendly punch on the arm.

Kory smiled. "Thanks _partner_." she said returning the punch. Dick winced. He turned around so that Kory couldn't see him message the part of his arm that she had punched. The girl had an arm. While Dick gave Kory a tour of the thirtieth floor, where all the important CEO's and presidents had there office. Kory only half listened, she was too busy waiting for Raven to pop out from behind a corner and throw her marriage certificate at Dick.

"- and if you noticed is shaped like Abraham Lincoln." Dick said laughing.

"What?" Kory said putting her attention back to Dick. He frowned and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Are you OK? you seem distracted?" Kory shook her head, and Dick brought her down the hallway. She really just wanted to see her office, it would the first office she had that was not infested with termites. Maybe her paranoia was setting in. She was so completely convinced that something horribly wrong was going to happen. When everything so far was going relatively well.

Finally Dick brought her to her office, which brightened her day immediately. It was spacious though empty, and had a perfect view of the city. Kory was a little dismayed that her office was outside of Raven's office, but Raven wasn't there yet. That gave her relief for the moment. Every time she thought of Raven her stomach lurched. But none the less, this was her day and she deserved to enjoy it.

And Damn it she was going to enjoy it.

Kory spent the duration of her morning rearranging her pencil dish, and listening to the sound of her laptop. In all honesty she didn't know what she was suppose to be doing. She didn't get any calls or messages, she just sat there. Kory thought she'd wait until Dick came with business for her.

"Well, this sucks." Kory said to herself. Kory sat to herself bored to tears, for nearly three hours. Just when Kory thought her day was going to although boring, normal to an unexpected extent, there came a knock at the door. Kory sat up in her chair. Damn it, it was Raven. Involuntarily her heart beat sped up.

Raven didn't look happy, but then again when did she ever? Kory cleared her throat and tried to wipe the look of intimidation off of her face. Which was hard to do when the person who hated you, had the keys to destroying her life. Kory remembered telling Dick that business was a dirty, sexy game that involved seduction, manipulation, and back stabbing. Now she was surprised by the truth of her own words. She had always gotten along so well with Raven, and now they were like mortal enemies.

Was she the truth? Did she seduce her way into this office? It certainly seemed that way to Raven. It almost seemed that way to her too. "Yes?" Kory said trying to make herself look busy.

Raven half glared at her. She dropped a heavy load of files on her desk. "You have to go over these background checks for the unpaid interns, you have a rehearsal meeting at two, and you have to find sponsors for the Edenville project, _Ms. Anders_." she said.

Since when did Raven call her Ms. Anders? Kory waited. "And? Is that all?" Raven nodded irritable. Kory was surprised, she half expected threats, and cattiness. Raven rolled her eyes openly. She should have known better, Raven operated better than that, or at least more manically. It was in her blood after all. Underhandedness, psychological warfare even.

"That's all. Do you need anything else?" she asked no hearted.

Kory smiled, maybe she didn't hate her. So she was referring to her Ms. Anders, but it was a start. "Actually I could use-" Before Kory could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the sound of loud beeping.

Raven glanced at her watch and pressed the side buttons. "Well, I'm on break. If you need me I'll be writing horrible things about you and Mr. Grayson in the employee lounge." Chivalry my ass. Raven turned to leave at the same moment Dick reentered. It was weird how that was always happening.

"Good afternoon, Raven." he said pleasantly. Raven look was like a cross between 'bite me' and 'you son of a bitch'.

"Mr. Grayson." she replied bitterly.

Kory did truly feel bad for Raven, but her sympathy and disdain for the girl were battling each other out. While Kory knew her hatred for her was completely justified, at one point they were kind of friends. She couldn't help but back memories to that night at the Ball when Raven helped her out. Those days were so distant now. So gone in an instant.

She sighed and fell back into her chair. "She hates me." she told Dick hopelessly.

"She doesn't hate you, she's just in a different state right now." he told her. Yeah right, like he was going to tell Kory the truth.

"Yeah, state of mind." Kory sighed and allowed Dick to take half of her workload. The remained in silence while deciding which intern to "let go". Kory hated dealing with interns so did everybody else. They were in college and still very juvenile. That was to put it mildly they were a major pain in the ass. "Fuck damn it, where are we suppose to find a resident to handle these interns." Dick said tossing another file into the reject pile.

Kory was only half listening again, go over intern approval bored her almost as much as just sitting there. But Dick was right, they did need a mentor. Dealing with the interns was a good job to have at Wayne Enterprises, but none wanted to do it. Residency training was notorious for being "cursed", no one lasted more than a few months.

"I wonder where Raven is. I need coffee." Kory muttered to herself, under her breath. Dick's scoffed at something he read in envelope before tearing into four pieces and throwing it in the trash.

He leaned back and groaned loudly. "What we need-" he said running his fingers through his hair. Kory wondered how he did that all the time without getting his fingers all greasy, with hair gel. She left it up the mysterious ways of Dick Grayson. "What we need-" he continued "Is a no nonsense, no bullshit power house, who has serious control issues."

Kory pushed a tipping tower of files into the barrel. Raven pushed through the doors, wordlessly scooping up the rejected files and taking them to resources down the hall. She was back in minute laying two sandwiches on the desk, like she always did. "Thank you, Raven." Kory said _Mm turkey._"Uh, before you leave could you call Mr. Swanson and Ms. Philips, and confirm their interest in the Edenville project."

"Already taken care of." she said pulling on her peasant blouse. "And I've called the rest of the sponsors. Expect their credentials later tonight."

"Really?" Dick and Kory said together. Raven nodded before leaving again. She was terribly modest when it came to work. She was just so good at it, nothing seemed irregularly impressive. It was just work.

Kory picked up half of her delicious looking turkey and bacon deli sandwich. Dick grabbed her wrist before she could take a bite. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." he said. Good point. Raven might have done something to it. As paranoid as it seems, that might be something that she would do. She did have a lot of time on her hands...now.

Kory gasped. "I have a brilliant idea..."

* * *

"Where are you taking me?" Raven asked for the like billionth time. She didn't like surprises, never did, never will. Dick was at first skeptical at Kory's idea, but he was counting on Raven keeping an open mind about it. Raven was not that open minded.

Dick was very careful about not dripping hints. It was better if she at least get into the room, before having a fit. Dick slowly opened the door, his unsureness growing as he did. The interns were like kindergarten children: wild and untamed. Half of them stood in the battle of the sexes arguing over something about pizza or Chinese food. Being the resident to the interns was considered a jinxed job. Whoever took it received sympathetic looks from all the co-workers.

"Oh. My. God," was all Raven could say. She, for the first time in years, was speechless. Dick waited for her to recover from the shock.

He shuffled his foot and cleared his throat awkwardly watching a paper airplane fly overhead. "I was thinking since you're the...most strong headed person at Wayne Enterprises that perhaps you could deal with the interns during your free time. Since you know... you have all this time now." Raven turned to him.

The fight between the interns was turning physical. Dick knew that one thing Raven couldn't stand for the life of her of immature people. So Kory had this idea that since Raven didn't put up with shit, she could train the interns. Everyone else was too soft for the job. They treated the intern like fifth graders, Kory thought Raven would treat them like she were a drill Sargent. "I don't want to babysit those damn interns." she growled.

Dick turned on his charm, unfortunately for him Raven was immune to it. "Please Raven, just give it a chance. For me? Just for a few weeks, until we can find someone permanent." Before Raven could object he interjected. "Thanks I appreciate it so much." he said turning to leave. "Hey everyone this is Raven, she's your new resident." his words went unheard over the roars of the interns.

Raven groaned. "Excuse me." she said all knowing that they were not listening to her. "Excuse me. Hey!" she screamed over them, silencing the crowd like plague. She sighed, boy she was going to hate this. "What the hell is wrong with you people? This is an internship at Wayne Enterprises. This isn't animal house."

One brave boy dared to retort. "Uh, who are you?"

Raven raised her eyebrow at him. "What's your name?"

"Colin."

"Colin." she said slowly as if pondering the best ways to destroy him. "Colin, shut up. Party is over. This is a prestigious internship. Number two in the entire country. You being here is a privilege not a right, and if you don't think I won't hesitate to fire you, you have serious judgment issues. Now my name is Raven, and I'm you're worst nightmare. So Colin another outburst like that and I will defenestrate you."

Colin raised his hand very slowly. "What does-"

"Defenestrate comes from the Latin root word de meaning out of and fenstra meaning window or opening, meaning throw Colin's ass out that window." she directed herself at everyone. "So if I were you I'd get your ass down to that filing room within the next twelve seconds, and start praying to whatever god you believe in."

The interns looked around at each in a surreal way. "Is she for real? One of them whispered.

"That means now damn it!" Raven yelled. The interns grabbed their files and practically shoved each other through the door trying to run to the filing room. Raven smirked at herself with sadistic satisfaction. Dick was right, maybe this would be fun.

* * *

Dick was particularly happy with the way things were turning out this morning, Kory was currently buried to her elbows in books down at resources, researching their possible investors, and when he'd gone down to the intern room they were working quickly and quietly. Work was great, love was great, and he was working his way back into Raven's good graces. Who ever said you couldn't have your cake and eat it too?

Dick practically skipped while whistling on his way back to his office. He finally understood why those seven dwarfs were always singing about work. He unlocked the mahogany doors but was surprised to see a little boy sitting in his chair. His messy blond hair dipped into his green eyes.

"Um, hi." Dick said. He was wondering what was going on. The boy jumped from the seat upon hearing his coice. He charged to Dick and began speaking rapidly. " Sont vous Richard Grayson ?"

Richard was taken aback by his quick French. "Sorry kid, I kind of flunked out of french."

"Sont vous Richard Grayson ?" he repeated impatiently. Dick didn't understand a word this kid was saying but, he heard his name being mentioned. If this was someones idea of a practical joke he didn't find it very funny.

Dick groaned and glanced at his watch. "Can you wait, une minute?" he said to the confused looking kid. He hated the fact that he had to ask Raven for another favor, as if training the interns wasn't big enough, but she was the only person he knew who spoke French.

Trotting down the corridor, he hoped this would only take a minute. Quickly ignoring the greetings of co workers."Hey," Kory stopped him in the midst of his tyraid. He instantly forgot why he had been in a hurry. "I was wondering since it's been so long since we've had a real date if we could have dinner later tonight."

A smirk broke across Dick's face. He leaned in closer and whispered. "If by dinner you mean dinner and a 'movie', I'm all for it."

"If by 'movie' you mean something that's not actually a movie, tell me now so that I know exactly what you're talking about."

Dick smiled. "I would but that would be considered sexual harassment." Had there not been several witnesses to their exchange, Dick would have thrown her over his shoulder, find the closet copier room, and do her right there on the fax machine. Work got in the way of his love fest too much.

As Kory slowly walked away, he made it a point to stare at her butt as she did so. Dick then struggled to get his mind back on track. Right now he had to focus on the issue at hand: little foreign boy, who speaks no English, is trying to contact him. He took his time getting to the interns workshop. He cautiously opened the door.

He was pleasently surprised to find all the interns completely silebnt, and busy typing away at their key boards. They never did any work. Kory was a genius: Raen had served as resident to the interns for all of three hours and she already scared them straight. "Um, could someone tell me where-"

"Sh!" everyone hissed at him loudly. That was a bit unusual. He slowly stalked around the room, trying to find someone to answer his question.

"Does anyone-"

"Sh!" they barked louder.

"If we make any noise it will hear us." one girl whispered to him. He noticed she was wearing a name tag that read: Hello, I'm a nosy busy body.

"Quiet Dana, you'll get us all in trouble." Hello, I'm a sneaky brown noser whispered yelled at her. Dick was confused. Suddenly the door burst open causing all the interns to jump.

Raven glared at them. "Do I hear voices in here? Oh, hi Dick."

"Rae, what's-"

She smirked at him. "You wanted someone to handle the interns, so I'm handling the group of over emotional cry babies. And we having a lot of fun, aren't we." she said to the interns sarcastically. No one said anything. "Aren't we?"

The room erupted into chatters of compliments and praises as ill intentioned as they were. Raven didn't look satisfied. She mastered the art of humiliating others, and they just weren't humiliated enough. "Well, if you guys aren't happy by all means tell Dick here what's wrong." The interns looked around at each other wondering if we a trick. "I'm serious. Tell Dick what's wrong and he'll decide whether or not I'm being too hard on you."

The the room broke into horror stories and complaining. They were talking so much all at once it was kind of giving Dick a head ache. "Well," Dick started carefully "Your method are a bit har-" Raven shot him a glare so terrifying it made Dick along with all the interns jump. "I mean their great!" he said enthusiastically.

The interns groaned nut, fearing that Raven would glare in thier direction they busied themselves in the eighty pages of overdue paper work per person. As radical as her methods were they was no denying they were effective. "Raven, can I talk to you outside."

Raven sighed. "If I hear so much as a cough you will all by unstapling messages from the community bulletin board with your teeth." she said before shutting the door. "What do you need?"

"There's this boy in my office and he only speaks French. You are the only person I know who speaks French fluently, so I was hoping you could translate for me." Raven groaned openly and loudly. "I know, I know but he seems really upset so..." his voice trailed off. Raven rolled her eyes.

"Fine." she said heading back to Dick's office. The boy seemed even more impatient than he had before Dick left. "bonjour je m'appelle le Raven, c'est mon ami Dick Grayson. Ce qui est votre nom?"

"Paolo Saint Calireè."

"He says his name is Paolo Saint Calireè." She told Dick. Saint Calireè sounded vaguely familiar to Dick, but he could quiet place it. Quel âge ont vous?"

Dick listened to Raven and Paolo exchange words, it was all jibberish to him. The conversation went on for a good ten minutes, and so far all he knew was the kid's name was Paolo. Raven stood up and spoke to Dick in good old fashioned English. "He is eight years old, and he lives in Cote d'Azur, and his mother just died. He traveled here on a school trip and snuck away to see you."

This was interesting. Why would some kid from France travel thousands of miles to see him, a stranger. "But why?Why are you here?"

"Mais pourquoi sont vous ici ?" Raven said. He replied something inaudible to Dick. "He says he knew he needed to see after his mother died in November. Because...because..." the boy didn't finish.

"Parce que je savais qu'il devait trouver mon père." he blurted out. Raven gasped loudly, and her jaw dropped. Dick was getting more and more excited.

"What! What! What!" he said. He was going to have a heart attack if he had to wait any longer. He had known Raven basically since they were in the womb, and she was very rarely ever surprised. She was so stunned she was could not speak, she didn't know what to say.

She slowly sank into the closet chair, he face completely drained of color. She opened her mouth to say something several times but nothing ever came out. After three unbearable moments she spoke. "He says he came here to find his father."

Was that it? "Ok, where is he? We can get him here." Raven scoffed.

"Dick, you idiot. He didn't come here looking for you to help him find his father. You _are _his father." she said in one breath.

Dick suddenly felt like he was going to pass out. The room was spinning, in a swirl a oceanic colors sending him on a psychedelic trip. He suddenly felt nauseated. It was all coming back to him. When he was sixteen, he ran away and spent winter break he went all over the world. Madeline Saint Calireè was a French artist they met at a bistro, and... well they had a one night stand. He never thought twice about that girl.

Raven seemed to recover from her shock long enough, to help Dick with his. She lightly slapped him on the face. He knew that face: it was lecture time. "Dick, you little Casanova. Does gnorrea mean anything to you? Herpes? What's wrong with using a condom? Does it make you uncomfortable, because the burning sensation when you pee won't be much-"

"Rae." he stopped her warily. "Help me." He needed serious bailing out. She took a deep breath. She put her hand on her temple and began circling the room. She wasn't just nervous about this because she was his manager but also because she was his friend.

Dick sat still staring blankly into space, totally spaced. Raven thought he was going into shock. She kneeled in front of him and spoke very quietly. "I'm going to be honest with you: this does not look good. But the kid might not even be yours. You will take a paternity test, and hopefully but the past behind you. It will be discrete, no one has to know, not even Kory."

Damn, he hadn't taken Kory as a factor into consideration. He wasn't sure but, he didn't think too many girlfriends liked hearing that their boyfriends had illegitimate children. Then again it wasn't like Kory didn't have secrets from the past as well. Too bad Dick didn't know that...it might have eased some of his guilt.

* * *

Kory was six feet down the rabbit hole, he she had zero plans to come out. Wonderland was way better than the real world, and as long as she was on her boyfriend's best friend's death list, she preferred to stay in wonderland. She sighed to herself heavenly, and thought that if their were anything better than having a caring, hot boyfriend which she worked with God kept it to himself.

She was currently on her way to dinner with Richard and then to a movie in which they planned to leave in the middle of to go to a better "movie". Let's just say this was and adult film. She made it through her first day as partner with minimum interaction with Raven. But a wise person once said, when something seems to good to be true it usually is. Kory being the ever so optimist that she was chose to believe this was one of those rare occasions when it wasn't.

She hummed merrily to herself, and the elevator stopped in front of her. her stomach lurched when she saw Raven already there. Luckily for her she was busy on her cell phone, and Kory was beginning to feel less and less intimidated by her. Maybe was as tough as she originally let on. Kory stepped on awkwardly while Raven blatantly ignored her. It was going to be a ling twenty-eight floors down. "-I understand that but, like I said this is very important and it is imperative that you get it back as soon as possible. Of course money is no object. And I hope you respect that this is an extremely private situation. Thank you so much. Ciao."

Kory dreaded the second Raven got off her cell phone. It was worse than imaginable, worse than her taking a butcher knife out of her bag and stabbing her to death in a truly Hannibal Lector fashion. She didn't say anything, she didn't even glance in her direction. Kory cleared her throat as the tension became more awkward, if possible. Only twenty-four more floors to go.

Finally she opened her mouth. She'd just rip the band aid off, painless. "So...how 'bout those Yankees?" she chickened out at the last moment.

"I hate baseball." Raven said simply.

"Of course." Kory muttered under her breath so quietly it was as if she were talking to herself. She sighed. "OK, Raven I know you are probably angry with me for stealing your job, and dislike me at the moment-"

"Dislike would be putting it _very_ mildly." the coldest of her _very_ hurt.

This was ridiculous she was making a good effort to be civil. The least Raven could do return the favor. No, Kory was not going to loose her temper like last time, she was going to remain as cool and collected as she always was. "I just need to explain everything to you-"

"To be painfully honest," Kory was really getting tired of her interrupting." I don't really give a damn. I am surprised that you have known me for almost a year, and you still do not realize that I am completely immune to guilt, and impervious to sympathy. As Dick's friend I should tell him, I'd rather him be angry with you than with me. The only reason I don't is because it suits me. Revenge is a bitch, now so am I." The rest of the ride down consisted of much silence.

No one spoke until they were three floors from the ground level. "Dick wanted me to tell you, that he won't be making it to dinner tonight." Raven said completely empty of any emotion.

Kory was surprised by three things: one Dick was cancelling on her personally. Two he was cancelling out on her, and three how completely shut off Raven was.

Ding. The elevator doors slid open to reveal the busy reception area. Kory watched Raven walk toward the front door, and out into the rainy March sky. Kory was too emotional to even move. She stared at the spot where Raven had left, and finally the doors slid shut.

Kory paid her cab driver extra money just to drive around time square. She sighed at the advertisement for the Madonna tour, in replace of the Justin Timberlake one, that one magical night she shared with Dick. She knew things between them would be different, but she had hoped that by working with him she could avoid the inevitable. Yet Dick was still cancelling out on her.

After two wasted hours, Kory returned to her lonely apartment. She was beginning to miss living with Garfield, when she came home he would always be there. Her eyes stung with the threat of tears, but she manged to suck it up. If she had a melt down on the elevator neighbors would talk.

When she arrived she was surprised to find her door unlocked. _I must have forgotten to lock it_. She explained to herself, she gently pushed the door open, dumping her umbrella in the umbrella stand by the door. She was lightly thankful that some crazy didn't take advantage of her door, and make off with all her stuff.

She noted the light on in the living room. She had no explanation for that. She was a strong believer in saving the planet and conserving energy. There was no way she could have left the house this morning knowing she there was a light on. A moment of panic set in. What if it was that black mailer? And whoever was in her house heard he come in.

Kory let her female intuition take over, as she slowly and quietly weaved into the kitchen. She grabbed a carver's knife out of the knife black, and began to make her way into the living room. She saw an apparently male figure sitting on the couch with his back turned towards her.

Her heart sped up in her chest. "Hello? Who are you?" she said stepping onto her carpeted living room, her muddy boots were going to stain. As soon as she saw his face she gasped and her knife dropped to the floor.

He smiled at her. "Kory darling it's been seven years." She glared hatefully at him.

"What are you doing here Xavier?" she growled her fear replaced by uncontrollable anger. he shook his mane of brown hair, and his matching eyes sparkled.

He stood up, his height rivaling hers. "Now, is that any way to talk to your husband?"

* * *

Sorry I took so long, I don't particularly like this chapter, and it really didn't further the story. But I promise next chapter will be a lot sooner and trust me there will be drama...serious drama.

I didn't really plan to include Xavier until recently. For some reason he's very popular with the reviewers (shrugs).


	13. From a Whisper to a Scream

* * *

I forgot to explain my catwoman-Esq quote last chapter. I am a huge fan of the Batman movie franchise especially after I saw the Dark Knight. Batman Returns happens to be one of favorites, and Catwoman is my favorite villain. Tefnut Talvi was the first person to catch that. Anyways on with the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans

* * *

_-"I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It's awful." The Catcher in the Rye, 1951-_

"What else?" he asked kissing her bare shoulder. He leaned in closer to her naked body, her back pressed against his chest. She smelled like jasmine and vanilla. It was moments of vulnerability, like these that Garfield enjoyed the most. Raven didn't let her guard for just anyone. It made him proud that he was breaking her shell.

"I'm alergic to raw onion." she said staring straight ahead into the darkness. Raven, was the opposite. She had been betrayed by men so many times in her life, she wasn't sure if she could ever trust them again. Gar though, damn him, was persistant and caring. As dfficult as it was for her to even admit, she may have been falling for him. She sometimes thought she should've been born as a man. If he had been born as a man she would not care that she sucked at relationships.

She rolled over so that she was facing him. This is how their nights had been, for the past few weeks. They'd stumble into a cab trying to hold off the best the could. They'd be half undressed before the front door was unlocked, and then they'd screw like animals barely a word between them for the rest of the night. On the great chance they didn't make it to the bedroom, they'd just do it on the couch or the floor...or the table...or against a wall.

This bliss had been the same at one point with Malcolm, they'd have sex night after night after night, and eventually he got bored. Would Gar get bored too? Granted Raven always kept things interesting but, something about that y chromosome...

Before Gar could say another word his cell phone rang. He sighed, reaching over the side of the bed he felt around in the dark for his pants. He finally found them threw on the floor. "Hello?" he sighed into the phone. "Kory, I can't-...I can't underst...Kory, listen to me I can't understand you! What? What! Uh-" he said rubbing his eyes, and pulling his pants on. "Alright I'll be there soon."

"What's going on?" Raven asked sitting up.

"I don't really know right now, but Kory really needs me."

At this moment Gar didn't care about any stupid chick fight Raven and Kory were having. Kory was his friend and he supported her no matter what. Personally he blamed the entire fight on Dick. Raven deserved the job and he and everyone else knew it. He caused the ripple in girl world. Garfield pulled his jacket on and raced out her room, into the hallway, down the stairs, out of the emergency exit, and into the street. On the phone Kory sounded hysterical and frantic, he needed to get to her quickly.

Gar flagged down a taxi, and hopped inside. His cell phone rang again. "Hello?" he panted into the phone. "I'm on my way...right now...yes...no. I'll see you when get there...In like ten minutes. Okay, bye." he leaned in the back of seat.

_Kory what the hell have you gotten into?_

* * *

Kory was pacing around her living room. The table was littered with tissues. When was Gar going to get there? The anxiety was devastating. She needed to talk to someone, anyone she could trust. She couldn't tell Dick, that would be missing the point. She had actually considered calling Raven, after all they had handled the black mailer incident. She really didn't think Raven would do something so petty as to rat her out to Dick, but Kory wasn't going to take that chance.

There came the blessed knock at the door. Gar stuck his head in. "Kory what the hell is going on?"

"Oh my... what took you so long! I'm going crazy here." she said pacing again. "I can't believe this is really really happening to me. Could my life get any worse? I swear every time I think I am that close to being happy or being in love, or anything like that something happens. Something bad. Someone lies or cheats or gets arrested." She fell on the couch and began bawling into the throw pillows.

Gar reluctantly moved into the living room and consoled her. Kory never acted like this. She wasn't secretive. She didn't lie. What was happening to her? Was everyone losing their minds? Gar felt a wave of anger wash over him. Anger directed, or displaced, at Dick. He'd known Kory for years, and she'd never been like this. She was innocent and sweet. Not coniving or deceitful. Dick was turning her into something she wasn't. Gar wasn't sure he liked it. When Raven did it, it was sexy. When Kory did it, it was disturbing.

He sighed. "Kory, do you have any plans to tell me what the hell your talking about." He waited for the tears to subside into gaspy hiccups. She sat up and wiped her reddened eyes on the sleeve of her sweater. She blew her nose into a tissue.

"He's back." she said quietly.

"Who's back?"

"Xavier, he is in town. He...he is on this business trip and he knows about Dick. He sent out someone, a professional, to track me down." she swallowed hard. "He says he's been looking for me since I left him. He's been looking for me for over eight years. He spent something like- uh I don't know thirty thousand dollars or something like that to find me. He's here to try and sell some of his helicopters to Wayne Enterprises. He has a meeting with Dick the day after tomorrow, a luncheon. He's going to tell him, I know he is."

Kory took a deep breath. Gar didn't know what to say. He'd known Kory since high school and the only reason he didn't think that it was a big deal that she had not told anyone was because he knew it did not define who she was. He knew what that marriage had done to her. She _needed_ to get out, she was not safe. This was getting exhausting. Everyone was always lying and keeping secrets.

Gar handed Kory another tissue. "He's going to hate me. There's no way he could ever love me after Xavier gets done with him."

"Not if you tell him first." Garfield answered rubbing her back.

"I can't." she said quietly.

"God, can't anyone just tell the truth anymore! Really wouldn't life be that much easier if you were honest with him. If you love him and I think you do, you should get rid of all the skeletons in your closet. Sure maybe he'll be upset at first but at least he knows you love and trust him enough to be honest with him. And if he doesn't big fucking deal. Then he so isn't right for you in the first place." He was standing up now.

It was not until then that Gar realized he did not keep any secrets from Raven. If he had a double life he wanted her to be part of both of them. Sure there were some things he wasn't proud of but, it is not like he killed anyone.

Kory jumped up angry. "Oh no, not this again. God, Gar I am so sick of you and your self righteous my love life is so fucking perfect charade. You think you know everything about her. You think you love her, but you don't know anything about her."

"Oh and you do?"

"Fuck, I know way more about Raven than you do, just because Dick talks to me. She doesn't talk to you about shit. You don't even know about the-"

"Time she was arrested?" Kory expression softened. "Yeah, I know because she told me months ago. Unlike Dick she wasn't so ashamed about it had to keep it a secret." She picked up and scarf laying on the tossed it against the wall. What was happening to them? They never use to fight like this.

It was another inevitable truth of the change that the city had brought them. In ten short months it had turned them from a tight knit clan, into screaming rivals. He loved Kory and he knew this was about him not siding with her, but he loved Raven also. He was beginning to dislike Dick, but he'd never tell that to Kory because he made her happy. Sometimes as friends you needed to take one for the team.

"Fuck you." she said quietly.

Garfield shook his head. "What has happened to us Kory? We never use to be like this. We use to be like brother and sister. Ya know I've stood by you, even when I saw you, _YOU_ Kory Anders becoming this, this, this person who isn't you at all. I've supported you through your relationship and you can't even return the fucking favor. So I'm done." he began walking to the door, his back not facing her. "Call me when Kory gets back. Until then you can weather this storm alone."

With those final words Gar quietly shut the door. Kory sat on the floor surrounded by a sea of used and wrinkled tissues. With her back against the couch. She waited. She waited for Gar to come back, tell her he was joking. Garfield was a jokster, he would come back.

He never did.

Kory stared at the black television, smeared mascara running down her cheeks. For the time in along time, maybe even ever, she was completely alone. Even when she was trapped in that horrid, destructive marriage she had Garfield cheering her on. Now she didn't even have him. She _was _alone. But that didn't mean she had to be.

She stood up and slowly walked into the bathroom, her rationality and desire to feel happy battling each other out. After her accident last month her doctor had given her a bottle of pain relievers that doubled as sleep aids. She had only taken it once because vicodinwas known to be highly addictive. When she took it she felt good, and unusual high. She pulled out the bottle that had been banished to the back of her medicine cabinet.

She sighed and decided to take two to start off slow. She looked at the tiny, white pills in her hand. Before she could think about what she was doing she threw them into her mouth, and dry swallowed them.

It was not like Kory to abuse prescription pills, but neither was anything else she had been doing lately.

* * *

Kory vaguely remembered what happened the rest of the night. Just blurry flashbacks of drinking and she pretty sure she drunk dialed Dick in the middle of the night. She woke up fallen half way out the bed. She did not remember the events of last night. The unexpected visit from Xavier, the fight with Garfield. The vicodin made her forget. Well at least for a little while. Kory was startled by the sudden ring of the phone. She tumbled head first out of bed.

She felt around her nightstand for the phone. "Hello?" her voice came out raspy. She had not realized how dry her mouth was.

"Hey." came Dick's somewhat sad sounding voice. "Um, I just called to tell you that..." she heard him sigh on the other end of the phone. "I just wanted to let you know I will not be going into work today."

"What?" she said groggily. "Oh, Okay." Dick said goodbye and hung up before Kory could say anything else. He seemed really on edge. Kory was actually glad he was not going to be there. It bought her another day away from Xavier. She get up, showered, and made her way to work. She was going over strategies in her head.

She'd go over to Dick's that night get him drunk, no. She'd go over wearing nothing but a trench coat, no. She could go over there in a turtle neck, totally sober and tell him everything. Yes. That seemed like the only ethical thing there was to do. Kory was so distracted in her thoughts she didn't notice the chaos, ensuing around her. Co workers scrambling about trying to put together diagrams. The phones were ringing off the hook.

Kory sighed and passed by Raven's desk on the way to her office without so much as a glance. After all two could play the cold shoulder game. Raven slammed the phone back on the hook and jumped up looking slightly panicked. "Wait! Don't go in there." she said to Kory.

At first Kory was taken aback. Those were the first non threatening words Raven had said to her in two weeks. She wasn't ready to be set up. "Raven, I have a lot on my mind right now and I would appreciate it if you would keep the cattiness to yourself." she said turning back towards the door.

Raven looked indignified. "I was not being catty, I'm telling you not to go there because-"

Kory blatantly ignored her, and pushed the doors to her office open. What she saw made her gasp and drop her bag to the floor. Sitting at her chair with his feet on her desk was non other than Xavier, accompanied by a smirk of self satisfaction. Kory turned around and looked at Raven, as if she had something to do with this.

"I tried to tell you." Raven said. Kory knew she got some sick kick out of this. Kory shut the door around her. She gazed at her former husband with hatred and annoyance.

She sighed. "What are you doing here, Xavier?" the question was rhetorical.

The thing about Xavier Red was he was not evil or malicious. Diabolical and two faced yes, but evil no. He was debonair and handsome, a total lady's man. A whore if you will. During there ridiculous six months in that hell charaded as a marriage, Kory had come to find her independence and for that she had to thank him.

Xavier shrugged. "I told you last night I did not want anything to do with you. If I wanted anything to do with you I obviously wouldn't have left you years ago." she said finally.

Xavier sucked his teeth. "Oh dear, sweet Kory." he said standing up. "Can we not let bygones be bygones? This feud we have is silly. Silly and juvenile and below our level. I'm sure we can work something out."

"I don't want to talk to you." she said.

"I don't care. You can't keep running from me. You can't do it forever. C'mon baby we've been doing this dance for along time. Too long. Aren't you at all curious."

Kory rolled her eyes. She always hated his mind games. " I got dizzy dancing the tango along time ago. Besides just what pray should I be curious about?"

Xavier gave a echoed laugh. She had to admit even his laugh was sexy. "Why I'm here. Why after all these years I decided to come looking for you."

"Oh?" she said curiously.

"Do not worry. I'm not here to tear about your little dream life, with your executive job and your pretty boy boyfriend. Actually I'm here seeking a divorce."

"A divorce?"

He nodded his wavy brown hair locked in place. "A divorce- an annulment actually. I found an excellent lawyer and he can make our 'marriage' have never existed."

What was he playing at? They say when something seems to good to be true, it usually was. Her be free of him forever? For the rest of her life. Never having to look over her shoulder wondering if he was ever going to come back to haunt her. No more skeletons in the closet? Kory had never imagined this type of unfiltered happiness. She never could imagine how happy a life, her life, could be had she never lied or had anything to feel guilty about.

She sat down in the cushy chair across from him. "What's the catch?" she asked.

Xavier raised an eyebrow at her. "Catch? There is no catch. Do you honestly believe that, that horrible excuse for a marriage was bliss on my part. If you really think that I'm doing this for your sake, you are sadly mistaken. I don't give a damn which rich fat cat you're screwing-" he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry _whoring _around with to climb the corporate ladder."

She scoffed, becoming angry. "So I had to whore around to get this job? I'm not capable of getting it on my own."

"Kory be honest with yourself. It's fine half the celebrities on the front cover of any gossip rag had to suck someone's cock, to get there. It is the same in this business, and half of your co worker probably had to do it too. Prostitution is the world's oldest profession. If I walk out of this office and pull over any over their head intern they would probably confess to it. Maybe that betty outside your office, with the nice legs. Not a bad rack either."

"Stop it." Kory said firmly. "You say your sole purpose in being here is for your own benefit? What benefit are you referring to?"

He smiled at her again. "Oh details. I will tell you the course of my expedition, in time. But not here."

"When?"

He thought about it. "Well, I have business to attend to tomorrow, and a plane to catch the day after that, so say tonight at dinner." Kory shook her head. "Kory you left me. I am willing to drop whatever past we have together and all it's going to cost you is dinner with me and you're not going to accept." she knew she was defeated. "Good girl. Now I'll have my assistant call that nice, hot piece outside with information."

Kory waited several minutes until she was sure Xavier was long gone, before picking the phone and ringing Raven's desk. "Raven, cancel my meetings for tonight."

* * *

Kory felt like she had been suckered into this dinner. She should have just ditched him. She sat at a two person dinner table, in the middle of the oddly quiet but crowded Italian restaurant. She felt over dressed. She wore a simple black dress, it was casual but she felt like she was on some sort of twisted date. Kory felt like she was cheating on Dick, even though she wasn't.

What if someone saw them, and it got back to Dick? Kory felt her hands shaking, she needed to get the edge off. She unclasped the clip of her clutch and pulled out her bottle of vicodin. She looked around to make sure no one was looking, before slipping two pills into her mouth. She looked around for her glass of water. Damn it, the waitress had not brought the water yet. She took a sip of her Pinot Blanc. She wasn't suppose to take the vicodin with alcohol, but she hated dry swallowing.

"I'm surprised you showed up." Xavier said taking a seat across from her. "I thought you would bail out on me."

Kory swallowed her wine along with the pain killers. "Like wise." she said. They were silent for the next few minutes. The most interaction consisted of them reaching for the warm wheat bread. The waiter placed a sauce plate of garlic butter melt. "Thank you." she said graciously.

"That dress is a little sexy for a meeting between ex flames don't you think?" he said from behind his glass of wine.

Kory took another sip of hers, feeling the buzz coming on. "It's a simple black dress, for a simple meeting. I am however curious as to why you decided to seek me out after so long. I don't care if it's for whatever selfish agenda, I want to know why. Is it money?"

Xavier sighed and smiled at her. "Believe it or not, I wanted to find true love. I know we both thought that, that was impossible after what happened with our parents, but that wasn't our choice. It was not fair at all. Actually I did fall in love, and I want to be with her forever. After my father died last year I decided to marry her."

Kory did not know what to say. He was not the same heartless and cold person she had known years ago, he was different. He believed in love in that was sweet. "That is so...sweet."

His cheeks flushed pink. "Yeah well, I am sure you have found someone you love and want to share everything with. I at first thought marriage was a title. All you needed was a ring and a piece of paper. But two years ago Nancy got ovarian cancer, and I thought I might lose her. A few months ago she was declared cancer free so I decided I was not going to waste another minute not proving my love for her under God and everyone else."

Kory nodded. "Did you tell her about us?"

"Of course. I find it easier in life to not keep secrets from the people you love. At first I was nervous but she loved me so she accepted it. It was way worth it in the end. What about you?"

Kory cut a piece of her baked salmon. "You do not worry about me. So divorce, annulment what are we talking about?"

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded white packet, with yellow high lights glided over the important details. "Technically our marriage was not legal as far as the traditional definition according to the U.S Supreme court. We indeed had what in considered a common law marriage, and since we did not carry out our duties as man and wife we can have it annulled."

"What's this?" she said pointing out the fine print, something about money.

"Because I am the enabler of the end of our marriage, you are entitled to a portion of the assets. This is monomial compensation for your pain and suffering to ensure we can skip the messy divorce details and end as this contract agrees."

"One and a half million dollars?" she said only half astounded. "You're offering _me _one and a half million dollars?"

"Just sign here." he said pointing to a dotted line next to where his name was already signed. Kory picked up his fountain pen and neatly scribbled her signature. She placed the pen on the table and handed him the document. "Pleasure doing business with you." he said picking up his glass.

Kory picked up hers as well, and clanked hers against his. "Like wise."

* * *

Kory woke up the next morning in an excellent mood. The best part of this whole mess being over, was she didn't even have to tell Dick, and not fear his reaction. Technically she was never married. She involuntarily took another dose of vicodin even though she wasn't suppose to have more than two in any twenty-four hour period, and it had only been about ten. She felt an extra pep in her step. Her morning was perfect.

She stepped into the elevator where coincidentally Xavier was already there. "Good morning." she said pleasantly stepping into the elevator. "Big meeting with Wayne Enterprises."

"You are in a pleasant mood today." he said adjusting his cuff links. She nodded.

"I am, I am, no offense, free. Now I can look Dick in the eye again."

He turned to her more aware this time. "Dick Grayson? That's who you've been banging? Well, then this is going to be kind of awkward." he said watching the elevator slowly move from seven to eight. Kory's eyes slanted.

She gripped her bag tighter. "Why? He doesn't know about us."

Xavier shrugged. "Not yet anyways."

Kory's stomach lurched. He had played her. All that talk about wanting to leave it in the past and starting with a clean future was bull shit. He was intentionally trying to lead her into a false sense of security, so that way she would not tell Dick, and he'd do it just to humiliate her. Everything he told her may have been a complete lie.

She shook her head disbelievingly. "But you said-"

He sighed. "Consider this compensation for my pain and suffering." Kory had to think fast. The elevator went from nine to ten. Without thinking she pressed all the buttons on the elevator panel. The conference room was on the twenty-ninth floor. If she made it to the stairs she could get to Dick in time to tell him before Xavier could.

The elevator door rung open on the tenth floor. "What the hell are you-" Kory pushed him back into the elevator and jumped out on the tenth floor. She looked around for the stair case and located it a few feet away. She pulled the gray door open and flew up the stairs, ignoring the stares of the interns. She hopped up the stairs and leaned over the side of the railing and looked upwards. She only had nineteen flights to go.

She grabbed the railing and began to run as fast as she could. If she didn't stop she could beat Xavier. She pushed herself until she got to the twenty-second flight. She was so close. Twenty-third, she could see the door to the twenty-ninth floor. She looked up and could see a figure about two flights above her. The figure glared down at her.

Xavier. He must have gotten off on one of the floors and took the stairs. Adrenaline pumped through her flesh. Kory started jumping over every other stairs. Xavier startled by her, went through the door. Shit, she lost sight of him. Kory ran faster than she ever had in her entire life, and finally made it to the twenty- ninth floor.

She burst through the door quickly glancing around for the conference room. She looked back Xavier was right behind her rounding the corner. She ran for it. He caught up to her and they both ran like a hound out of hell. It was like an episode of Terry Tate. There it was right in sight. She needed to beat him. She grabbed a wheel cart of mail and tossed it down. Xavier went down. Kory hopped over it jumped into the conference room locking the door behind her.

Dick was standing in front her looking slightly bewildered. "Kory why are you-"

"No time, don't talk just listen." she panted talked quickly. "My parents are the duke and duchess of this country you have never head of and when I was eighteen they arranged for me to marry this heir to achieve perfect financial stability or something like that. So anyways we were married for about six months and then I ran away and didn't see him again until two days ago. So he came here to tell me he wanted a divorce, and the man you're about to do business with his my ex husband and I'm really really sorry I didn't tell you the truth, but I'm telling you now so we can work out the details later, but right now you needed to know so he wouldn't tell you and ruin our relationship."

Dick barely caught any of that. "Uh okay...what was they part about the...and the um...who now?"

Kory groaned. "Man coming in right now, is-was my husband." Suddenly the door unlocked revealing a frazzled looking intern and Xavier. "I'll explain later, but right now you have a meeting."

"Kory, I don't have a meeting right now." Kory was shocked. "I got this message two days ago, something about stocks."

Oh. My. God. He set this whole thing up. It was all a pun to tell Dick. He had played her. It was just like in _The Scarlet Letter _all Xavier cared about was his honor. Maybe that whole story about his sick lover was true, but none of that mattered. He was disgraced, disgraced by Dick. "So," Xavier said. "You're the son of a bitch whose been screwing my wife." he said marching over to Dick.

"Look, I don't know who you are but you can't come marching into here making accusation." Dick said defensively. "Now if you have got a problem with me-"

Xavier shoved him "You're damn right I've got a problem with you." Kory grabbed Xavier arm and pulled him back.

"Don't!" she warned him. He pulled back his other hand and slapped her in the face.

"You stay out of this!" That's when it happened. Dick never thought he'd need to use this skill in his life, but he pulled back his fist and right hooked it and let it go flying into Xavier's eye. Everyone in the room gasped. Xavier stumbled backwards, but did not stay down for long. He jabbed Dick right square in the nose. There was a sickening crack, and blood gushed onto his clean white shirt. Before the fight could continue security came in looking confused and hailed Xavier's ass into the holding room on the first floor.

Dick spent the rest of the morning getting his nose looked at and repeating his story to three security officers, and then two NY PD officers. He held an ice pack to his face. "I still can't believe you won't put on a bandage. Hold your head back."

"I don't need a bandage, I'm fine." he said again. He voice sounded wheezy from breathing through his mouth. "So married huh?"

Kory took deep breath. "It's a long story."

"I'd love to hear it over dinner."

Kory's head snapped up. "So you don't hate me?"

Dick took the ice off his face, and placed it on the table with a sigh. "Of course not. Kory, I could never hate you, and frankly I am shocked that you ever thought that I would. If I've given you any reason to think so, I am sorry."

Kory smiled. "Let's face it we have not been totally honest with each other. So let's make a promise, no more secrets." she kissed his hand. "I'll be right back."

As Kory left to grab a taxi, she passed Raven without a word. They were getting really good at ignoring each other. Raven handed Dick a new shirt. "Thanks." he said.

Raven nodded, and turned to leave. "Wait." he said. He had been noticing this subtle change in Raven. She didn't argue anymore, no more witty sarcastic comments, like she'd lost the will to fight. Secretly Raven was more disappointed about losing the partnership than she lead on. Her best friend of like forever had chosen a girlfriend over her, after all the sacrifices. In the first few days Raven expected Kory to quit, but a the days turned into weeks she saw that, that was not a possibility anymore.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"It's nothing-"

"Raven."

She took a deep breath. "It's just lately I been having these really bizarre-"

Before she could finish Kory came back holding their coats. "The cab is here, we don't want to be late." she said, again not acknowledging Raven's presence.

Dick gave Raven an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, can we finish this later."

She scoffed and headed to the door. "Just...forget it." she said.

Raven did not think Dick felt guilty about irking his duties as her friend. Ever since he started dating Kory his wholelife was Kory Kory Kory Kory Kory Kory Kory. My God, she was dating too but it didn't mean it was her whole life. Raven pulled on her black trnach coat, and walk out into the drizzly New York night. She saw Gar standing by the frosty water fountain outside the building. Without a word she leaned on the side of the fountain next to him.

"Hey," she said solemly. "What's going on with you."

"I think I'm losing my best friend." he said sadly.

"Me too."

* * *

I wrote most of this today. I had really really bad writer's block. Not just for this but in general. The next one will be up way sooner. Don't you hate it when a friend gets boyfriend and that becomes their entire life? Well, that was the inspiration for this chapter. I hope you liked it, I know it was really really Kory centric. I had not orginalli intended it to be that way, but that's the way it came out. More people are in the next chapter.

Chapter theme song: When You're Gone, Avril Lavigne


	14. Winning a Battle, Losing a War

I got like one review last time. Please review.

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans

* * *

_-"You are pulling Heaven down, and raising up a whore!" The Crucible, 1953-_

After word got out that Dick had got into an "altercation" with a stranger at work, he hadn't gotten a moment of peace. Everywhere he went he was followed by reporters from low interest gossip rags to even the unexpectedly prominent television stations. Dick was none too pleased. He prided himself on never getting caught up in the ridiculous media hoopla. After an endless three weeks, Wayne Enterprises was forced to call a press conference, much to Dick's dismay. He was to blatantly deny anything and everything they had to say. Still he was skeptical. Anxious that any member of the press had found out about his alleged child.

He promised himself he would not lie to Kory, but there was no reason she had to worry over something that may not have even been. Sometimes he felt his resistance wearing down, but the results of the paternity test were due to arrive any day. Once he was sure (and he was positive that he wasn't) he would tell Kory. Until then he was enjoying the time they were spending together, but everything was great. Dick could not put his finger on it but, things between him Raven were tense. Not an angry tense but an awkward tense. These days it seemed like they barely spoke. Raven was busy with the interns, and any time he didn't spend in the office he spent with Kory.

"Hold still." Kory told him playfully, as she straightened his tie. Kory had been a trooper during the whole situation, but she did have to admit all this sneaking around felt like high school all over again. She still felt guilty about the whole married situation, but Dick seemed okay with it.

Kory sighed and let go of Dick's tie. "There now you're ready."

Dick, although he'd never admit it, was more nervous than he let on. He took a deep breath. They would be calling him into the press room any second now. "Are you nervous?" she asked.

Dick opened his mouth, to say something, but the door to the press room creaked open. Philip, the press coordinator stuck his head in. He was holding a clip board and wearing a head set. "We're ready for you Mr. Grayson." he whispered.

Dick took a deep breath. "Wait." Kory said throwing her arms around him and kissed him. "For luck." she whispered. She saw Raven roll her eyes. Raven still hadn't fully forgiven Kory for stealing her job. She was currently sitting in the back of the room reading stock tips, and occasionally throwing a glare in Kory's direction.

As Dick slowly moved through the heavy doors, Raven hopped up out of her chair and moved next to Kory, to watch the interview on the tiny t.v set that sat on a table outside the door. As soon as the doors were closed, the rush had begun. Journalist of the professional and tabloid alike were screaming all sorts of questions. The most aggressive kinds were those of the gossip rags. Journalist of more serious sorts sat quietly and patiently.

"Mr. Grayson what do you say to allegations that there was a breach in the Wayne Computer center?"

"Mr. Grayson is it true that you were involved in a physical altercation with a buisness partner?"

"Dick, care to comment on the annual salary of Wayne enterprises employees in the current economy?"

"Mr. Grayson boxers or briefs?"

Kory watched in worry behind the door. She'd never seen anything like this. They were about to put him on trial. Kory had grown up, out of the spotlight hidden in the shadows of her royal family. Dick on the other hand had grown up in the spotlight, since his adoption at the age of eight. He like most Manhattan trust fund babies had made his rounds in the society pages. Raven had done it too, she was lucky her father barely acknowledged her presence as a teen because she would have graciously been labeled a "wild child", and with her activaties as a teen there would have been scandal and backlash.

Kory slipped a pill out of her pocket, which she only did when she was nervous. Or at least that's what she told herself. Lately she had been nervous a lot. "They're going to tear him apart." she absent mindely told Raven.

Raven looked completely emotionless. "Arthur Schopenhaur said 'journalist are like dogs, whenever anything moves they begin to bark."

Dick moved up into the platform and let the photogs snapped as many pictures as their pathetic hearts desired. They'd probably photo shop his image next to Jessica Alba and start a rumor that they were dating. Once the room quieted down and the journalist took their seats, Dick was able to speak. He'd practiced his opening statement over and over for the past week.

He spke seriously into the microphone on the table. "Now I'd like to start off by saying, that it is not kosher for any member of Wayne team to comment on matters in their professional career, but due to the backlash and media misconception we find it in everyones' best interest if I make a public statement on our behalf. First question?"

The room immediately started an uproar. Shouting question. He glared around the room. It was hard to see with the blinding lights shining directly in his face. He tried to look at the associated press badges. He saw a woman raising her hand who was from the _New York Times_. He pointed at her and the room silenced.

"Mr. Grayson, there is speculation that Wayne Enterprises is set to bail out banks of Wall Street if the stock market crashes. If this money is assured who will be benefiting the CEOs of Wall Street? Or the thousands of people who will get foreclosed out their homes?"

Dick sucked in his breath and smirked to himself. He was suddenly very thankful that Raven forced him to read the contract updates everyday. "Thanks a great question. Wayne Enterprises and industries have always been a people orientated business. It has since its establishment and will if it ever closed it doors, not that that would ever happen. We would never sell out to people who have made this business what it is. Next question."

Kory sighed with relief. The uproar started again. "Mr. Grayson. Lois Lane with the Daily Planet..."

The press conference went by very smoothingly for the duration. Dick was very careful about choosing people to ask questions. He went for the more serious journalist, he would not jump on him with gossip and rumors. He'd gotten great questions from _Time, The Wall Street Journal_, and _The Boston Herald. _

"He's doing fantastic." Kory said again to no one in particular. She was pleasantly surprised. She wasn't sure if it was luck or strategy but, he had so far successful in alluding the tough questions. He was almost done. just a few more...

One very intimidating woman in a sharp red suit, stood up and made her presence known. There was no way that she was leaving that press room without bringing up defamation. "Mr. Grayson what do you say to allegations that a high office position was given to a woman who has personal connections to you."

Crap.

Kory choked on a gasp. Dick froze. He hadn't ever, _ever _in a million years considered anyone bringing that up. He was momentarily paralyzed and his stomach lurched. The room became dead silent, as everyone waited for his response. A few photographers snapped pictures of his shocked expression. In all honesty Dick had never really thought people would think he just gave the job to Kory because she was his girlfriend. The only person he really expected that sort of thing from was Raven, even though she would never admit it.

His mind snapped back into the press room. "I...I don't understand-"

"Mr. Grayson there are published reports about speculation that you and your business partner Kory Anders, has a relationship with you outside the office. Is there any truth to this accusation?" she asked.

Dick _swallowed _hard and thoughts about proper response ran through his head. He had to choose his words very carefully, any pronoun or adjective could be twisted into the media. He had to be Bill Clinton not having sexual "relations" with that woman. "Miss." he looked at the woman's press badge. "Cabot I'm not sure what you are trying to insinuate but I can honestly and confidently tell you and anyone else who wants to ask that any position distributed to any member of this corporation has done so willingly and deservingly, and frankly I find anyone it blatantly insulting that you are questioning that. No more question thank you."

With that Dick stood up and escaped through the back door, ignoring the eager shouts of further comments. Anxiety took over him, as he tried to convince himself that this would turn out okay. His paranoia flicked at his mind. He took a series of deep breaths as he waited in the back room for the all the press to leave, so that he could be reunited with his beloved Kory. He began thinking maybe he should take a break from Kory, just until the heat died off. That thought quickly died when she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He let her embrace him, and suddenly it stopped raining in London. "Where's Raven." he whispered into her strawberry scented hair.

"Bringing the journalists to the refreshment room. I knew giving them coffee and donuts was a good idea." she said with a small laugh. She sighed. " Dick what that reporter said-"

"Kory don't." he said firmly. He knew where this was going. "Kory you, I and everyone else know that you deserved that job and don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

It didn't make Kory feel better at all. Even in the security blanket that was the rippling and warm arms of Dick Grayson. She had never felt so cheap in her entire life. In all honestly she had never even thought that anyone ever thought she'd slept her way into the office. She herself thought she'd earned it fair and square.

No. That was a lie.

It had always been in the back of her mind that she had not fully deserved it. Since day one a little voice had been saying _Oh yeah congratulations but it's only because you're the boss's girlfriend_. She could no longer deny it, it was the elephant in the room. What everyone thought but nobody said. And everybody thought that Kory Anders was nothing more than a coniving, two faced, back stabbing whore.

* * *

Kory was distressed beyond words. The scandal had broken out in whispers and dirty looks being sent her way. It had slithered around the office that Kory Anders was in deed a whore. Dick was too busy with the fallout from the somewhat diastrerous press conference. He found it surprising that, that part of the interview hadn't made it way to the t.v yet. Nothing could be confirmed nor denied, so any questions about her qualifications were up in the air. Kory decided that while Dick curtly cancelled a date (which he thoroughly explained was because of an over processed board meeting that afternoon), so Kory like most adults solved her problems at the bar.

She met up with her good friend tequila downstairs. Kory's head was swimming. The last thing she needed was another thing to worry about. She had not spoken a word to Garfield in three weeks, and truthfully it was killing her. He had always been her rock, there for the hard times. Now she had no one to talk to. Although she was doing a fantastic job as partner, she couldn't shake the guilty feeling that she really didn't deserve it. Now everyone within the eleventh and thirtieth floor thought she'd slept her way into the office.

The swanky looking bartender turned to her. "Hey honey had enough yet." he said sweetly.

Kory responded by sliding her glass down the other end of the bar. She shook her head. "Not nearly." He shrugged and turned to get her a new glass. Kory sighed and took out her purse, and slipped herself a couple more pills. She just needed to take the edge off a little. It was not a habit. It definitely was not an addiction. It just helped her relaxed. As far as Kory was concerned it was her way of relaxing, much like some people took bubble baths or lit scented candles. Vicatin was her bubble bath.

Kory went unnoticed the rest of the night. She wasn't suppose to have the pills with alcohol but she sure felt relaxed by midnight but, her vision was cloudy. She was also undeniable wasted. "My friend won't talk to me." she complained to the bar tender who seemed to be listening. "I want to tell him, Gar your like my bro and-" she hiccuped. " I love you man. Gawd I can't even know what we were fightin' about. That...really sucks. I mean it _really_ sucks. Like...war man. You know what I mean?"

She broke into a fit of inappropriate laughter. The bar tender whose name was Sam nodded understandable. "I really think you should call it a night sweet heart."

"No, no-" she hiccuped again. "The party is just getting started." she swung in her chair.

"Do you have your cell phone with you. I'll call you a cab." he said slowly.

A familiar body plopped beside Kory. "I got it. Thanks Sam." Raven said. Sam shrugged and continued serving the other workaholics. Raven did her best to clean Kory up. She looked a hot mess. Raven mumbled something about responsibility and taking the day off. Her words went unnoticed by the clearly intoxicated Kory. Raven was unsure what to do. Should she take her keys and juest throw her in the back of a taxi? Begrudgingly Raven decided to just drive Kory home herself. Raven didn't like driving late, so most of the time she took a cab to work. Today just had to be the day she decided to drive.

"Alright Kory I'm going to take you home." before Raven could continue her cell phone rang. She read a text message and cursed under her breath. "Kory I have to drop a file off in finances, don't go anywhere. If something happened to you I'd never hear the end of it from Dick. Sam can you watch her I'll be back in like ten minutes. I just need to run upstairs."

Sam shrugged. Kory sighed deeply. "Raven is such a cool chick. She doesn't even like me and she's going to take me home." she dribbled to no one in particular.

"Why is that?" said an unfamiliar female voice. A woman with blond hair and glasses sat down next to her. "Aren't Dick and um-" she snapped her fingers as of tyring to remember something. "Raven friends?"

"Best friends. They use to snort coke together." Kory said laying her ringing head on the cool bar. The woman took out a small not pad and began scribbling things down.

"Really that's very interesting."

Kory nodded and eyed someones long island ice tea. "When they were seventeen Raven went to jail so that Dick wouldn't get in trouble. So m_aaaa_ny years laters he felt really guilty so he hired her. But Raven is great--yeah she's great. Works really hards, but not hard enough if you know what I mean." she said giggling.

The woman raised one of manicured eyebrows. "What do you mean?" she said not discreetly inching her coke and rum closer to Kory. Kory picked up the glass and took a small sip through the tiny back straw.

Kory leaned in closer to the woman. "Don't tell anyone, cause it's a secret." she started laughing again. "Dick gave me the job as part-ner because I'm fucking him once a week."

She looked at Kory surprised for a minute before rapidly jotting down something. When she was finished she slammed her notepad shut, and hopped off the bar stool. "Thank you, you've been a big help." she said half running through the door.

"No problem." Kory said when she was already gone. "She was nice." with that she took another sip of the rum, but a hand quickly grabbed the glass and slammed in onto the bar.

"No, no you've had more than enough." Raven said grabbing her by the wrist and half dragged her into the street. Tourist stared at Kory as she twirled in the streets as if they'd never seen a drunk person before. Raven had a hard time flagging down a cab and making sure Kory didn't wander into the street. She grabbed Kory by the forearm, and forced her into the back of the car. Kory curtly leaned out the door and vomited violently, nearly missing Raven's new shoes. Raven get into the back seat, and took Kory's heels off. "Give me those before you hurt yourself."

Kory leaned into Raven. "Dude, you don't even like and your taking my shoes off." she laughed drunkenly. "That is so...nice."

Raven pushed Kory back to her side of the car. "No offense Kory but you smell like you just made out with Jack Daniels." Kory rambled on. When they arrived at her apartment Kory stumbled out of the cab singing Katy Perry at the top of her lungs. Raven tried fruitlessly to shush her, with no avail. Luckily, for the sake of Kory's humiliation it was late and no one was in the lobby to hear her. The door man was still awake, but he looked on as if if he saw this sort of thing every day. He probably did.

Raven dumped Kory into the elevator. Kory was already on _Thinking of You_. She was going down the entire _One of the Boys_ album. She frequently reminded Raven that, that song reminded her of Dick. Kory nearly fell over when the elevator started going up. She broke into yet another giggle fit. She sighed, and then choked on a burp. "I love Katy Perry, Raven."

"So do I." Raven said wearily. Just four more floors, and she could go home. It didn't matter how late Raven got home. It was already to late for her to take a sleeping pill, so she was in for a rough night. Kory gasped as if she got a great idea.

''You and me, should go to a Katy Perry concert." she said alighted.

"I don't think so." Raven said as the lights on the numbers of the control panel lit up. Kory pulled herself up.

"Oh don't be like that Rae Rae. Are you still mad at me?" The creaky metal door slid open. Raven pulled Kory out into the hallway scanning the doors for her apartment number. "If it makes ya feel better Rae, Dick says he wouldn't have hired you anyways."

Raven stopped dead in her tracks. "He said that." she half growled.

Kory nodded her head vigorously. "He says that coma victims have more people skills than you." Raven scoffed deeply offended.

"What else does he say about me?" it was a partially real question, and partial wondering out loud.

"Oh yeah." Kory gushed. "All the time. He says he's really sick and tired of you guilt tripping him. He said he paid his dues to you when he gave you the job in the first place, and now you are acting like an ungrateful bitch, which is kind of why he sentenced you to baby sitting the interns. Kind of."

Raven shoved Kory's keys into the door knob and Kory wobbled into the dark. "I can't believe he said that." Raven said feeling along the side of the wall for the light switch.

"Hmm." Kory thought. "Maybe bitch wasn't the word he used. Maybe it was cunt. Ungrateful cunt." Raven gasped. "No, no it was definitely bitch." Kory saw Raven's slightly confused and fallen face. "Oh Raven, don't be sad. You're still his BFF. He tells me _all_ the freaking time." she wrapped her arms around Raven's neck pulling her into drunken hug.

Raven stiffened. "Kory. You're touching me." Kory quickly dropped her arms.

She sighed dreamily. "Oh that's right you don't like to be touched because your father didn't hug you as a child."

Raven had never felt so violated in her entire life. These were things that as her oldest friend she'd she told these things to him in confidence. Raven tried not to keep too many emotional factor to herself because she didn't want to have an emotional break down one day. To find out he was mouthing off to his girlfriend behind her back. Some of...most of...all of the things he was saying was hurtful, but most of all it pissed her off. When Dick told her about his possible love child, she didn't blab it to the world. She didn't tell a soul, not even Gar. He had given her rightfully deserved position to his girlfriend, but this was far worse. She wasn't sure how she was going to handle this tomorrow. But as Raven tucked Kory into bed, she knew one thing was for sure: there was going to be hell to pay.

* * *

Kory felt awful the next morning. Her head was pounding, her throat burned, and she was pretty sure she was wearing the same clothes and make up as yesterday. She could not for the life of her remember anything after a couple shots of tequila last night. Everything else was a alcohol induced blur. It was half past seven, so she was already going to be late for work, and she didn't want to go in with a killer hangover. She fumbled out of bed, and searched around for her purse. She found it laying on the kitchen table. Pulling out and ingesteing a couple pills, the pain was gone immediately.

Now she was ready to go. She felt amazing, better than anyone should feel after a night of drinking. Better than she felt on a normal night. Her mind was so clear. Everything was so...defined. the smells of the bakery sweets clogged her senses. Everything was great. The world was amazing in head. She didn't even notice that it was raining. Kory good mood was instantly killed as soon as she stepped off the elevator.

No one said anything. They didn't even laugh. They didn't openly lean over to whisper rude things about her to their friends. They just stared at her. Some people shook their heads in disapprovement, other had the gull to glare at her. Kory was very confused as to what the hell was going on. "Raven what happened?" she asked upon entering the office. Raven didn't look at her she just handed her a rolled up magazine and pointed to an article high lighted with a post it note. The headline was shocking: **Hanky Panky on Wall Street**.

**Article By: Anna Hamilton**

**In the stressful time for the American economy, after thorough investigation of the employment of Wall Street heavy hitter, it is no surprise why the Dow keeps going down. Intense companies such as Windsor and Windsor, Tin Tin Inc., Wayne Enterprises, and Mavin Industries has based employment on personal matters rather than fair qualifications. It is sad that in a time when fair employment is so necessary that the banks and industries that not only this country but, those around the world are unreliable. A source close to Wayne Enterprises can confirm the suspicions that C.O.O of the franchise and merchandising department, Kory Anders was in deed given her high position because of the outside relatioship she had with fellow C.O.O of the same department Richard Grayson. **

**"She was suppose to small restaurant chain. How else would she get such a great position" says one employee. The inside source can also confirm that not only is Richard Grayson an avid cocaine user, but turned down the perfectly qualified Harvard Business graduate Raven Roth, of which he had a three and a half year business relationship with. Which puts his position and judgment into question, not only that of Grayson's but also that of president Bruce Wayne-**

Kory couldn't bare to continue. It was worse than anyone could have imgined. She was the subject of global controversy and scandal. Raven must have read her mind . "It's a P.R nightmare. Dick is about to flip shit."

Kory heart stopped in her chest. "Has he seen it?"

Raven shook her head. "It's only a matter of ti-" Before she could finish Dick burst through the doors of his office. Kory had never seen him this angry, even when he was beating the pulp out of Xavier. The room immediately silenced. Startled interns dropped papers, and secretaries stopped typing. Even Raven who was on the phone hung up. The tension was extremely thick. It was easy to understand. Not only were they putting his capability into question but also that of Bruce, which really pissed him off.

"I want names!" he half shouting to no one in particular. "Whoever spread this blasphemy, I want them fired. I want them sued. When I find out whoever talked to this reporter the best job the will ever have again is flipping burgers at Burger King for the rest of their lives!" he slammed the magazine into the trash and retreated back into his office, slamming the door behind him. It could be heard back at Raven's office.

In the wake of Dick's tantrum the office was left in morbid silence. Kory was besides herself. How dare some jerk betray the trust of anyone at Wayne Enterprises. This was so outrageous and it reflected badly off of Dick. "Do they know who did it?" Kory whispered afraid to talk too loud. Raven shook her head and mouthed 'not yet'. Kory shrugged. "I'm going down stairs to pick up sales report."

Raven caught sight of a FedX guy. It was the long awaited results of Dick's paternity test. She signed for it immediately and walked to Dick's office. She was hesitant to knock on the doors. Giving this to him right now was risky although imparative. He was already in a horrible mood, this could either make him feel a whole lot better or worse. She sighed and pushed open the doors to see Dick staring off into the distance. He was smoking a cigar, which he very rarely ever did. "What is it?" his low tone pretty much growled at him.

Raven was a bit taken aback, and put off by his wording but she understood. She shut the doors behind him, and handed him the envelope. He snatched it and throw it to the side. Raven scoffed under her breath and turned to leave. "Is something-" she started. "Never mind"

"What was that?" he didn't ask, he demanded. He waved Raven back over. She sighed and moved back in front of his desk. "Do you want to tell me something?"

She sucked in her breath. "No, it's just you seem...I don't know. Tense." he raised his eye brow. "Let me try again. Is there a specific reason you are acting all pissy with me?

Dick leaned back in chair. "Is that so." his tone was condescending. "Well I suppose if your career was in jeopardy because of some mole you'd be a little tense too. So excuse me Raven if I'm acting just a little bit 'pissy'."

Raven was very surprised by the hostility towards her. She knew perfectly well that he was under a lot of pressure right now, but it was part of his job description. Yet he'd never in the years that they had been friends he'd never spoken to her the way he just did. Raven didn't like it all. If she recalled correctly her name was being dragged into this as well. She wasn't snapping at anything that moved. Dick's behavior was just unreasonable.

"No." she said through her teeth. "I said why are you acting pissy to _me_."

Dick glared at Raven through the slits of his eyes, as if cross examining her. Raven held her position. The glare off continued for several minutes. Finally Dick sighed and leaned forward in his chair crossing his fingers. "Raven I have spent much of this morning since the news was broken trying to figure out who and why anyone would castrate me in the media. I was baffled. Unless someone had a personal vendetta against me. But who? who else but a woman scorned, bitter about a lost job opportunity."

Raven was not following him. "What? Oh. Oh! You think I talked to that reporter." she said outraged he could even think something so heinous.

"I don't think...I have my suspicions." he said harshly. "I don't know if you talked to that reporter, but I certainly believe it's a possibility. Why or how you could betray me and Kory like that is beyond my wildest imagination."

"You are talking to me about betrayl? You think I don't know about all the shit you've said about me behind my back! I can't even believe you would blab to your pretty little girlfriend about '99!" Raven retorted.

This was the first time they'd fought since the day they met in the third grade, when Raven beat up Dick for stepping on her jack set. This however was a little bit more serious than a school yard brawl.

Dick shook his head and leaned back in his chair again. "Oh and by the way it's not yours. You're not the father. Congratu- fucking-lations." Raven snarled. "It's that's something I didn't mouthed off to my boyfriend."

"Well, what do you want me believe? You are the only person in this entire office who had any reason to talk to that reporter. You couldn't wait for all of America to side with you Raven Roth, the victim. Well good for you it worked. So why should I believe you?"

"Because I'm your friend and I'm telling you I didn't do it." Raven was pretty sure her voice was rising to the point anyone standing within ten feet of his door could hear them. At this point it didn't matter anymore. They both felt betrayed, and hurt. Raven and Dick were both very dominant people and they were very unwilling to back down and apologize. Personally even the idea that Raven would talk to a reporter to vent out her anger sounded stupid and far fetched. It wasn't impossible, just highly unlikely. As long as there was a small possiblity Dick was going to hold onto it.

Dick cleared his throat. "Okay so you were too busy fucking him to trade secrets shocker." he said earning a shocked look from Raven. "And on your way out take those files down to the copy room." with that Dick went back to pretending he was looking over soe important document.

Raven stood up indignified, and straightened out her face and picked up the pile of papers. It is important to know that every person has a breaking point. Maybe it was the point when Raven broke, maybe it was just impulse but at that very moment she did something shocking. She threw the pile of papers back at Dick, and watched his stunned expression as they bounced off his face and fell in tatters on the floor. "I Quit. How's that for a shocking."

Raven turned to leave ignoring Dick's cry of protest. She turned her mind into autopilot and stomped off to the elevator hoping to get there before Dick could catch up to her. She jabbed the down button tapping her foot anxiously. The doors swung open and an ever so chipper Kory stepped off. "Oh hello Raven."

Raven was too angry to speak. It was the kind of angry when yelling or physically doing something was not enough. All she could do was shake. Her best friend- her best friend for years called her a whore and chosen to believe his girlfriend over her. She knew they'd been drifting, but this was the straw that broke the camel's back. Their friendship was over. For good. Raven saw Dick running up to the elevator, and was relieved when the doors shut right in his face.

Dick was beside himself. He really screwed up this time and he didn't know if he could fix it. He knew Raven wouldn't talk to the press, she was not that petty. He was just mad and looking for someone to blame, and she was an easy target. If could just apologize to her...but he did not know if she would or deserved to accept his apology. Dick knew what being called a slut meant to her. He slammed his fists against the doors. "Fuck damn it!"

"What is going on?" Kory asked concerned. Dick ran his hand along the back of his head.

"Raven just quit." he said as calmly as possible which was not very. Kory gasped and asked what happened. He pulled her into the upcoming elevator. "I said somethings- I was upset. I yelled at her she got really mad so she quit."

"Is that all?" Kory meant to be rhetorical.

"In a nutshell yeah."

Kory took the opportunity of being stuck on the slow going elevator to take deep breaths and acess the situation. "Okay, she is mad right now and not thinking straight. Raven will get to the garage and realize what she's done. She'll be horrified. She'll come back up and _you'll _apologize and we will all go out for smoothies."

Truthfully Dick did not think Kory's perfect plan was so perfect. After all if Kory was such an expert on making up, why was she and Garfield still fighting? At this moment none of that mattered. He was glad there was some silver lining. Finally the elevator stopped on the garage floor. They flung themselves off the elevator and ran to catch up to Raven who was stomping off towards her car.

"Raven wait!" Dick yelled after her. Garfield was just arriving on the scene. Late as usual. Hopefully he could catch up quickly.

"Fuck you!" Raven yelled back at Dick. gar stopped where he was and walked quickly along side Raven.

"What's going on?" he asked looking between Raven, Dick, and Kory. Raven ignored him and continued through the damp garage until Dick and Kory caught up with her. "Is someone going to tell me what's going on?"

Dick caught Raven by the arm and turned her so she was facing him. "Raven listen just wait a minute." Raven pulled herself from his grasp.

"No, I'm so tired of waiting. I have been waiting from five until nine for the past four years. I'm done waiting for something better to come along, and obviously so are you." she said directing her words to Kory and not Dick. This notion went unnoticed by the group.

Kory tried once again to be the middle man. "Let's just take a second to calm ourselves down, and we can talk this over-"

Raven scoffed. "No! No more talking about our feelings. No more bargaining, no more fake morning exchanges in the hallways. Enough. You can have my office, my job, my bloody inters, but let me leave while I still have my dignity. If I can make a suggestion Kory you should too, but I guess it's a little late for that. You may have stolen everything that I worked for over the past four years, but at least I can leave knowing I did not have to sleep with the boss to get where I needed to go."

Everyone gapsed. One a normal day Raven would not have meant it. She would have been speaking out of anger, but she no longer had anything to loose. She meant every word. She was finally saying what she always thought but had been too polite to actually say. To hell with manners hell hath no fury like Raven Roth. Raven did not feel the least bit bad about what she said. If Kory was afraid of getting her feelings hurt she would have never done it. She was however surprised when Kory's hand connected with her cheek the moment the words left her mouth.

Again everyone gasped including Kory. She had never slapped anyone before. She immediately felt bad about it. "Oh my gawd I'm so sorry."

Raven glared at Kory at punched her the face. That torn it. They both released all the pent up emotion. Raven's anger and Kory's jealousy clashed into one giant thunder cloud. Both girls lunged at each other. Dick caught Kory by boths wrists, and Gar grabbed Raven by the waist and pulled them away from each other before they could go all Jerry Springer on each other.

"Are you better?" Dick asked Kory before releasing her. Kory shook her head and marched off back towards the building. "Dick c'mon" she yelled back impatiently. Dick looked back at Raven who was gazing at him as if to say this was him choosing. He sighed and ran off towards Kory. Raven groaned and turned back to Garfield. Dick had made his decision, time for Gar to choose.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

Raven shook her head. "I'll tell you in the car." With that Garfield followed Raven into her car. Uh oh looks like the battle lines have been drawn. Dick may have just lost an ally and started a feud. Let the war begin.

* * *

Sorry my ending was a bit rushed. I wanted to get this chapter up sooner while I was still on vacation but I had a ton of homework (yes on vacation) and it was my birthday this week so I was busy trying to throw a dinner together. None the less I managed to get this up, hope you enjoyed.

For those of you who are confused: People suspect that Dick gave Kory the job because she's his girlfriend which is true to say the least. Kory gets drunk and tells a reporter that it is true but she got so drunk she doesn't remember talking to the reporter. Dick accuses Raven of talking to the reporter and she gets mad and quits her job.


	15. The Band Aid that Covers the Bullet Hole

Sorry to anyone who thinks that I am making Kory too bitchy, that is not my intention at all. I am just trying to elaborate on how this business changes people, and pulls people apart. Nevertheless a review did make me realize there _is not _enough lovin' going on between Dick and Kory and that worries me, so I'm going to try harder. But I'm not really romantic so I did some research.

Okay onwards.

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.

* * *

_-"We're going to be okay." Revolutionary Road, 2008-_

"What's this perfume you wear?" he said nuzzling her neck, and planted kisses on the nape. Everything about her, he found infatuating and intoxicating. She drove him crazy.

Her skin was always so soft and smooth. Her hair was full of volume of shine and, what was that shampoo scent? Strawberry? Cherry? It drove him insane. Dick often times wondered how Kory got her hair like that. If it was natural or blow dried or something like that. Sometimes he just wanted to smother himself in it. Dick sometimes had shamefully juvenile fantasies about Kory wearing lacey teddys, garters, and printed bras and panties. Sometimes while zoning out in board meetings, he pondered what kind of kind of underwear she was wearing. It was nice having moments like these, when they were alone away from the stress inducing troubles of the world. Dick brushed a piece of Kory's hair out of her face. He couldn't see much of anything else (most likelt because they were underneath the blanket) just her glowing soft skin.

"You like it. I was trying something new." she said running her finger along his spinal cord, sending chills down his spine. "I know not too many women can wear Chanel No. 5, and make it work."

"You make it work." he told her laying back on his side.

They had not felt this peaceful in weeks. But the guilt was bothering Kory. Dick and Raven never fought. Never. Not since that fateful day on the playground at whatever ultra exclusive grade school they had been dumped at. The closet they had ever come to fighting was one night in Cabo San Lucas when they had a disagreement about whose turn it was to pay the bar tab. They ended up splitting it and probably would not ever remember it today. Needless to say their current situation was bad. They had not spoken, written, or even attempted to make contact with each other. Dick felt awful. Not just awful, like an awful person. After his fit of rage Dick's emotions quickly converted to panic. He'd not only fired the one person who served as hope for the interns, but he had ended his oldest frienship.

This happened all the time after a fall out, even if they did decide to forgive and forget things would never be the same. There would be tension and tip toeing around each others feelings. Their friendship would be forever marred by discontent and untrust. Dick convinced himself that night that Raven was just upset, she needed time to calm down. Once she cleared her head it would alright. He would apologize and she would accept. They'd be okay. That thought came to an abrupt halt the next day when Raven's desk was completely cleared out. Okay her feelings were hurt she needed more than one day. That thought came to an abrupt halt a month later when Raven was yet to return.

Kory had never felt so guilty in her entire life. She still did not remember talking to that reporter but, she felt like she had come between him and Raven. They use to be like brother and sister, and now they were estranged. Kory sighed and rolled over so her back was facing Dick. He frowned and rubbed her bare shoulder. "What? Are you still hung up about what happened? It's over now, and time to move on."

"Move on?" she said slightly appalled, turning her body slightly she she could see him. "How can you say something like that? Raven was your friend and she has given me so many oppurtunities, and we betrayed her."

"She left on her own." Dick defended.

"We made her quit." Kory laid so her back was flat against the mattress. "I made her quit." the words came out quietly.

Kory had never had such a strong urge to take a pill. It was an overwhelming and anxious feeling that ran from her toes to her head. She suddenly threw the covers above her head and ran into the bathroom. "I'll be right back." she murmered to Dick. She carefully locked the doors behind her and pulled her medicine cabinet open. She pushed a few toiletries around and nervously grabbed the bottle. Her hands were shaking violently from the anticipation. They were shaking so bad that she couldn't properly get the bottle open.

"C'mon damn it." she told the bottle. Whose idea was it to child proof presciption bottles anyways? Some soccer mom in Ohio who didn't have anything better to do. Was all they did was make people miserable? Veggie monster and parental advisory on cds, really. Finally the cap popped open, and the tiny pills exploded into the sink and quickly rolling down the drain. Panic filled Kory's chest as she reflexively began to save as many as possible which was only about four or five. Where was the zinfandel 1995 white wine, when she needed it?

She cursed herself, and the worry began to set in. What would she do without the medicine? How would she get by? She needed to take the edge off ASAP. Without taking a second thought, like the post insane mentality of Macbeth, was downed the small handful of pills. In one gulp, with no water. It didn't occur or even matter to Kory that she was not suppose to take more than two every day, but it did cross her mind that she had just desperately horked down a handful of medication that had just fallen into the sink. As of that moment Kory felt lower than she had ever felt in her entire life.

The engery was flooding to her, in one quick wave. She felt abnormally hyper and had the sudden urge to jump rope or run. The unusual high cursed through her veins and she began to shake with anticipation. Kory grabbed the edge of the sink, to slow the hype. She closed her eyes, and leaned to the side. She was feeling dizzy all of a sudden. She opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror, except it wasn't her.

This person's eyes burned with the blare of desperation, her eyes were mad and unfamiliar. How low did she sink. She eating pills out of the sink, like some sort of druggy. She couldn't help but cry. Tearful at first, but it quickly escalated into mass hysterics of hiccups and snot. Kory suddenly punched the mirror shattering it into the million little pieces of the person she used be. Without caring about the shards of glass the stuck to her hand, or even that it was bleeding, she sunk to thee ground and curled into a ball.

There was a knock at the door. "Kory?" Dick's voice sounded worried and frantic, but she couldn't bare to face him. She didn't deserve him. "Kory are you alright?"

Kory did not answer, it did not even cross her mind. He must have busted the door wide eyes scanned over the mess that was of the busted mirror and Kory laying in hysterics. He grabbed a wet wash cloth of the counter, and wrapped it around Kory's hand after pulling out a few broken shards. Dick slid down the wall, and scooped Kory into his tan and muscular arms. Kory immediately pressed herself into his chest and allowed him to silently comfort her. She felt so vulnerable and helpless. She stole Raven's job, she hit her, she was doing prescription drugs. Who the hell was this girl that wasn't her? What had she become?

"Kor, what's going on?" Dick said after awhile. She let go of him. It was enough to for the tears to subside enough for her to explain.

She sniffled. "I... just don't know what is happening to me. I used to be a person, I used to be a good person. I- I'm not anymore."

"You are a good person-"

"No, no I'm not." she sighed which evolved into a tremble. "I made Raven quit her job, and I hit her. And worst of all I ruined your friendship with her."

Kory relaxed his grip on Kory. "What is going in with you? Where is all this coming from?"

A moment ago they had been surrounded in a ring of endless light, wrapped in neverending bliss that sailed him to the moon. A moment ago the world had ceased to exsist outside the rapture of his bed. He no longer knew anyone that was outside of her eyes. It brought him back to a year ago when she had kidnapped him to Conneticut and brought him to a little icecream shop in Hartford. She had showed him a world outside the small, claustrophobic walls of his stuffy and sheltered office. Before Kory he had no recollection of ever even being in Conneticut, except to pass through on a long business trip to Boston. He never talked to the people or explored the lands. Hell, he never even got out of the car if it was not to get gas.

Dick spent his childhood, teenhood, and was now throwing away his adulthood wasting his life being the person everyone in his snotty, little blue blooded circle expected him to become. The exact person he promised he would never become. Dick then realized he had just lied to himself. He _had _felt truly, utterly alive once before meeting Kory. Just once. It was when he ditched school in his sophomore year, stolen Bruce's credit cards, and hijacked his private jet to fly away to China and France. He had felt so extremely and uncompromisingly free. He just needed to get away from the damned ski resort in Colorado Springs, or the vacation house in Tuscany, the chateu in the Hamptons. How the stuck up society types would act to this type of rebellion and scandal, never even crossed his mind until he saw Bruce's disappointed face upon his return.

So what the hell had happened to him over the years? He was not him at all. Ten years ago if Bruce had asked him to do a press conference to explain why he decked a guy, for such barbaric behavior was unacceptable in the fool's paradise that was the upper east side of Manhattan, he would have told him to piss off. He was stuck behind a desk, doing a job he secretly hated and despised. He was a pencil pusher. But he was not what Bruce or anyone else wanted him to be when he was with Kory. With her he was not stuck hiding behind some mask trying to please everyone with his some what undeserved accomplishments. With her he was himself.

In the mysterious, and fictitious utopia that in which he had grown to know, there was a preconceived and inaccurate notion that money solved all your problems and made you happy. Henry David Thoreau practiced and expressed the lifestyle that money only created more problems. Money was suppose the create more less time for a person to spend trying to make money, but when they had money they then spent all their time trying to make more money, and therefore creating more problems. Dick had not grown up rich. His parents were circus performers. He did not exactly go to school wearing Versace and Dior. Maybe that is why when he did so much drugs as a teen, to fill the void because he was numb. Back in his really early years he could not remember a happier time than when he was traveling the world with flying trapeze parents.

Kory brought him back to days when he was truly happy. That was something all the money in the world never, and could never do for him. Didn't he make her feel that way? Why was it he could not lift her stifes, and tear her away from the weight of the world momentairly? As he watched the tears from her sad eyes, for the first time he felt sad when he was with her. His heart was thumping in his chest. His lips were parted and he willed himself to say it. Fear stopped him. Instead he tightened his grip around her, and let his toned arms be her security blanket.

She sobbed into his bare chest. He wished he could say more. He wished he could say the words he had never said to anyone. He wished all her pain onto himself. But he couldn't. Instead he said, "Kory I-" the words willed themselves. _Say it! Say it! _"I wish you could tell me what was wrongg. You can trust me. Don't you know that? I would never judge you. I could never. I want to be there for you whatever it is. But I can only be there if you let me, and tell me what is going on. Hell, there can not be to much more things you can throw at me. You were married! We have been to hell and back, and by now I know for a fact that everything will turn around."

Kory leaned back, and wiped the tears on the back of her hand. "Dick are you happy with where your life is going? I worry, obess, I obess that working at Wayne Enterprises is going to destroy you and us. I mean look what it has done to me. And I worry day and night that we are going to end up in this seemingly happy lives, pretending to each other, acting to our friends and colleagues, lying to ourselves that we are happy when we are miserable. I do not want us to end up like those philandering and adultress wall street husbands who hit on the nanny, because his neglectful and sado depressed wife spends more time shopping to fill the hole that is her empty shell of a life."

Dick sighed. "No, not at all." he confessed. There was silence for awhile. "This....does not have to be permanant. This does not have to be the rest of our lives. When you put it into perspective I think if I have to work where I do for the next forty or fifty years I think I would kill myself." they both laughed. "This is our lives right now, but it won't be forever. It doesn't have to be."

"Let us make a pack. We will no longer let this business take over our lives. We will be completely honest with each other. Starting with this." she leaned over and picked up the empty bottle of pills. Dick examined it with no expression. The silence was agonizing. Kory bit her lower lip, waiting for a response. Her heart was pounding.

"Is this what has been bothering you?" Kory nodded slowly. "I see. How long have you been taking these?"

"About...two or three months."

Dick sighed. It was like high school all over again. Except he was not the one taking ectasy tablets from the school stoners. "Kory don't you know how addictive these things are? Have you been taking a lot of them. Do you not know how dangerous they are." Oh no, he was sounding exactly like Bruce did when he stumbled home completely stoned at six in the morning. He came to a sudden understanding of Bruce. Bruce was never disappointed in anything Dick had ever done. He geuinely cared about him, and wanted him to be safe. He felt the same way about Kory this very moment.

"I don't want to do this anymore. Any of it. For God's sake I'm popping pills out of the sink." she told him.

"Well one time, I wanted to get high so badly that I ran streaked through central park stark raving nude to get my hands on some coke."

They both laughed. Kory leaned her head against his chest, and snuggled up to him. The high had left her awhile ago, and the feeling of bliss was returning to her. For the first time in a long time, was not afraid of the future. She was ready to face it head on. Whatever the cards held for her, she was going to lay all her chips on the table. Kory was suddenly realizing that life was a gamble but she could not spend of it at one slot. "Are we going to be alright?" she asked into his chest.

"Hm, yeah. We are going to make it. I have a good feeling about this." he said kissing the top of her head. His heart was thudding again, and his mind racing once more.

"Dick, you're heart is-"

"I love you!" he blurted out. To his head it sounded right, like they were meant to be said at that exact moment. To his ears they sounded stupid and pathetic, rushed and chocked, forced out of his mouth by the desire in his heart. The desire to make her understand, to make her happy.

"What?"

He could not believe this is how it was going to be said. "I said I love. I mean I am in love with you. Deeply, madly, passionately in love with you. I want us to always be-"

She cut him off by attacking her lips onto his. Her soft petals lips winded him. He held onto her back and tangled his fingers in her hair. And just like that as if those three little, but completing and meaningful words were said , all was right in the world, nothing else in the world mattered. They could do no wrong.

* * *

Dick cleared his throat awkwardly, for the ninth time in three minutes. Raven solemnly took a sip of water. It was a beautiful June afternoon, and he had invited her to a business lunch to discuss the terms of her possible return. They had not muttered a word to each other in almost a month and they had left on such bad terms, there was much to be said. Dick wanted to ask her how she was and what she had been up to, but there was still alot of tension. Raven did not say anything. She seemed very nonchalant about the situation.

Dick pretended to read the menu, it was in Italian, which he could not read. Usually when they went to Italian restuaraunts Raven read the selections to him. He was too brash to ask at the moment. He sighed. "Okay Raven there is no point in beating around the bush. We- that is I- really want you back. I know what happened between us- that is the company- ended pretty badly and for that I'm sorry. So what do you have to say?"

He held his breath and waited for a response. She picked up her glass and took a sip of lemon water. For the first time he noticed she was wearing a rather large black ring. She gently placed the glass back on the table. "You know Windsor and Sons pay for dental." she stated it as a basic fact.

"Raven-" Dick said exasperated.

"Dick, it's...nothing personal." she sighed. "During my- time away, I have really reflected to where my work is going to take me in the future and I have concluded it will take me absolutely nowhere. I have been working the same job for nearly four years now, and now I know if I don't do something about it now I'll be there for the next four years."

Dick was not mad at Raven. He felt inexplicable sad. They'd been friends for years and something as shallow as business was tearing them apart. He recognized that Raven was no longer mad at him. She did not want to be stuck doing desk work her whole life, and it was unfair to ask her to. The woman went to Harvard for God's sake! She just wanted something more than what she was getting. It was all just business.

Raven continued. "With that being said, _if _I were to return to my former position as manager, there would be certain...conditions." she said conditions rather darkly.

Dick was excited now. This meant they were making progress. Raven would get her old job back and maybe even end the fued with Kory. Whose says you can't have it all? He could have his cake and eat it too. "Whatever it is, you name it."

"I want a raise." she said carelessly examining a dry piece of lemon, sitting on a damp napkin.

"Okay?" he was not expecting that-exactly. But it wasn't unreasonable. "We can check out the budget for this semester and maybe raise you up three percent."

"Ten percent." she said uninterested. She came knowing exactly what Dick wanted. "And-" she added. "I want to renogotiate my contract from five years, and lower it to two."

That was strange. "Why?"

Here comes the hard part. "Dick," she said seriously. "I have taken this time to reevaluate where I want to go in life, professionally speaking. I strongly believe that I have used up any and all oppurtunities that may have been given to me while working at Wayne Enterprises, and that in my current position there will be no other chances for me to rise in the corporate ladder. Besides I kind of hate and despise my job with every fiber of my being."

What! She wanted to quit! He was not expecting that. Dick never took much time to realize how much it bothered Raven that he had turned her down for partner. To Raven it was not just a job it was restitution for the three hard years she had put in for him, and a way she could further her career. Hardly any managers at all, made it far past the desk in which they were originally assigned. It was a dead end job.

Dick did not want Raven to continue to work for him, if it made her unhappy. But he did not want her to leave either. They had been through the internship together, and there was no way he could survive without her business savvy, and personal connections. This position Dick had just been thrust into sucked to the maximum. He sighed and ran his finger through his hair. What to do, what to do. He could let Raven return on her condition even if it were just for two years, or tell her to piss off and find some one less qualified to fill the void.

He looked up and realized she was waiting for his response. "What will you do if you leave." he was careful to say if and not when.

She leaned forward. "Well, I have had a few meetings with a lawyer from the Andrew Launder law firm, Matthew O' Hara, and he is planning on starting his own law firm based on civil rights and international affairs. He contacted me shortly after I- left, and wants me to consider going into it as partner."

"Wait, you majored in business _and_ law?" he asked incredible. He had not known that.

She nodded. "Double major."

All through high school, Dick had felt like Raven out acheived him in almost everything. She had better grades, she was in National Honor Society from the ninth grade, captain of the debate team, creative writing, National Merit Scholar, advanced Latin, AP everything, she took two calculas classes, did ballet until she was fifteen,and was even on the girl's varsity Lacrosse team (which she swears she only joined to release her pent up anger). Pretty impressive for someone who was an avid cocaine using through half of high school. Dick on the other hand almost flunked out in his sophmore due to extended and unexcused absents. He had a feeling Bruce did a bit of negotiating to get him into Princeton.

He groaned. "Are you sure this is what you want? There is a position open in the scamatics department."

"Don't insult me Dick, I think we both know that I am way over qualified for any positions that this company has to offer." Which was way beyond the truth.

Admittedly Dick felt a pang of jealousy. This went back to the conversation he had had with Kory the other night. Raven was another unhappy victim of growing up gotti. But unlike all the seventy percent of other people stuck in her position she was doing something about it. Raven was so fiercely independent. She refused to live her entire life by daddy's money. As soon as she graduated high school she dove and never looked back. It was that determination, and refusal to settle where she could not prosper that Dick so admired about her. Hell maybe some of that independence would rub off on him.

Dick smiled, and suddenly he could not feel happier for her. If she could do it, so could he and he would too some day. He did not have a game plan like Raven did, but it was all part of the mystery of the game of life. "Well Raven if you insist I fully support you decision and will arrange for your return."

Raven leaned back. "You ever notice how- or what rather, this job and place does to people? I mean instill it in our heads from birth pretty much, that we're suppose to go to these expensive private and or bording schools, then immediately ship out to some overpriced ivy league college, and straight from graduation head right on over to wall street to work with the greedy, wall street money hounds. So alright, you get through all that shit, and you finally get there it's like: what's the big fucking deal? You know." she shook her head. "I don't know, but I don't really want to spend the rest of my life trying to figure it out. I want out, while am young and can do so."

Dick rasied his glass to a toast. "Here is to that." they clanged their glasses against together, a few drops of water sploshing onto the table. "Recently I began thinking about quitting."

Wow it felt good to have best friend again. "Yeah, you know. If those pig headed corporate embezzlars want the fucking job so fucking bad, they can fucking have it, because I don't want it." she sighed. "Those motherfuckers. I feel so much better. After I quit I really took a lot of time to think about this damned job. At first when I quit I was so mad, at first at myself for acting so irrationally, then at you. But when I thought about what about that job made me so so angry, I honestly did not have a single clue. I made alist of the pros and cons, and I then I realized: I hated that fucking job. If I had not quit I would have never known that, and spent a lifetime being miserable."

"So," Dick said carefully. "in the long run, I kind of did you a favor by not choosing you for partner."

Raven's eyes narrowed and she snorted. "Let's not get crazy now. But like I said I am not looking back anymore, and I can live with it now."

"Look Raven," Dick said. "I know I never told you this but... I am really sorry. I know I should have given you partner, and I didn't. I will reget it for the rest of my life, and I know that you deserved it. After everything you did for me...I am just....I'm sorry."

The silence was thick, he just wished she would say something. A faint ghost of a smile swept across her lips. "So, what is my first assignment after reinstating my job."

"Well, there is a business conference trip in two weeks to Vegas. Are you up for it?"

* * *

I am horrible. I had two major state exams, and I joined the tennis team. I was feeling really depressed and I really can't stand living with my parents anymore, but I had a horrible case of writer's block. Tennis is over, yay for you. I really hope to finish this before the end of summer because next year I will be much to busy in the school year to update a lot. I will really try not to take that long ever again.

In any case, I know there was only two scenes, but there were very significant. Finally good things are falling upon the good friends. But Las Vegas is a crazy place, and I promise crazy things will happen.


	16. What Happens in Vegas

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans

* * *

_-"What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas."-_

Things had more or less gone back to normal upon Raven's return to Wayne Enterprises. She immediately continued to mentor the interns, and promptly scolded (and by scold, she yelled and punished them) for falling apart while she was away. It was like she had never left. Raven and Kory still weren't really talking to each other but, they could be in a room together without the sense that they were both trying very hard not to strangle each other. Over the month the number of glares and scoffs had even gone down. After the fight it was hard to just just forgive and forget, things were left unsaid and they let the chips fall as they may.

Dick had been elighted about the trip to Las Vegas. He had never been to Vegas before and was excited about the vacation time he would get with his friends and the love of his life, once the business part of the trip was over of course. Kory had never seen Dick so excited before, he was usually such a hard ass, it was refreshing to see him ready to party. The trip was all he talked about was for two weeks straight. It was cute at first, but then it got a little annoying.

"Are you ready yet?" he asked for the sixth time in three minutes. "I don't want us to miss our flight."

Kory rolled her eyes from the bathroom, and purposely took a long time to pack her suitcase to spite him. "We're not going to miss our flight, it's not for," she glanced at the clock. "Another four hours."

Kory moved back into the bedroom and slowly examined her suitcase, just to mess with him. She made sure she had everything she needed to prior night, and it was as neat and folded as can be. It fun watching Dick glare every time she rearranged her sweaters, or groan everytime she added a new pair of shoes. Kory couldn't help but giggle. "Alright, don't get your pantyhose in a bunch." she said playfully pulling off her suitcase off of her bed. It was a lot heavier than she had imagined. They were only going for four days but Kory was well packed for any casual or formal event plus a back up outfit and shoes.

Though Kory wasn't as vocal about her excitement, it may have even scaled Dick's. The decided not to plan to much of what they would do, a step in maintaining their semi spontaneous lifestyle. Dick had bought tickets to a performance of the Gypsy Baron at the Cox Pavillion. In the past Bruce had dragged Dick to countless operas, in which he would be asleep before the first act was over, but the Gypsy Baron was the only one he remembered actually liking. He hadn't seen it in years. The first two days were dedicated to business. They were scheduled to attend two conferences, and then work a chain of conventions. Days three and four were dedicated to bar hopping, clubbing, gambling, and all other forms of partying.

Dick was basically hopping on the balls of his feet. He scoffed when Kory had the nerve to try and lock her front door. He grabbed her suitcase. "I'm going to catch the elevator." he mumbled.

Dick kept looking at his watch on the way to the airport. They were flying commercial because Bruce had taken the private jet to San Juan two days earlier, which made Dick pretty nervous. "Will you relax. This trip is calming you down for once. That won't happen if you keep stressing out about getting there." Kory reminded him.

He ignored her. "Will you call Gar and Raven, and make sure they're on their way."

Kory scoffed and rolled her eyes. Not wanting to get into right now with Dick, she slowly pulled out her cell phone. She involuntairly began to dial Raven's number. She got through the area code before back spacing the number and calling Garfield's number. "Hey..uh huh.. yeah he is." she laughed. "No he wouldn't get paid for that. Okay...okay bye."

Dick glanced at Kory from under his sunglasses. "Are they there yet?" he asked.

"Actually there was a dilemma and a problem with the tickets, and the next two tickets aren't until Monday afternoon."

Dick almost pounded on the brakes. "What!" Kory laughed.

"I was just kidding, will you chill out." Dick grumbled something about not taking it seriously, and acting like immature babies. He remained silent and mad the rest of the ride to J.F.K airport. Kory thought it was cute when he was mad. The rest of the day didn't get much better. It seemed that little things seemed to really annoy him. The price of Starbucks coffee, the line at the check in stand, the fact that the plane arriving from the British Virgin Islands had that was taking them to Vegas had been delayed. Dick slumped in his seat outside the terminal. Kory would be glad when the plane arrived, because considering the tantrum Dick looked like he was about to throw, he needed to vacation.

Between Dick acting like a three year who had to go to the dentist, and Garfield's impatience, Kory wished she was talking to Raven. It would have been nice to talk to someone who wasn't currently loosing their mind. She wondered if Raven felt the same way. She doubted it. Raven looked perfectly content reading her book. She hissed at anyone who dared to interupt _The Lair of the White Worm_. Finally the plane arrived more than an hour and forty-five minutes after schedule. Even when they boarded Dick couldn't, or wouldn't, stop complaining.

"Great now our hotel check in, is going to be late." He grumbled stuffing his laptop into the overhead bin. Kory had never flown with Dick prior to that day, but she quickly learned he hated flying. Everything about it from the crappy Julia Roberts movie, to the fake stewardess in the ugly blue uniform who kept smiling. She was ready to throw Dick out of the emergency exit. Finally the six hour flight was over, but Dick's mood did not lighten. To him baggage claim took too long, as did the rental car stand, and the drive to the hotel. But even Dick's sour mood could not withstand the sight of the Luxor Hotel.

It was beautiful and out of this world. Like nothing they had ever seen before. Kory felt extra hyper, it was better than some Katy Perry video or Cameron Diaz romantic comedy. It was real. It was three dimensional. It was sharper, brighter, better. Kory dumped her bag on the floor, and pulled the curtains back. The sun was setting over the sunstrip, no pun intended, It was gorgeous. Kory dreamed about the nightlife. She already snapped a picture of welcome to Vegas sign, and was ready for some clubbing. She pulled the strap of her golden pumps over her heel.

"Ready." she said adjusting her earring. She was surprised to see Dick adjusting his neck tie? "Okay? Not what I would have chosen for black jack, but I guess it's not the strangest outfit in Nevada."

He smiled apologetically. "Sorry Kory, I can't go out tonight. The first conference is in a little bit."

"It's almost nine." she said incrediously.

"City that never sleeps?" he offered.

"It's not New York." she couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice. She knew she was being unfair, this was technically a business trip. What was it only two weeks that he promised to be spontaneous? Old habits die hard. She sighed. "I guess you're right. We can do something some other time." she flopped down on the bed.

"No,no." he said sliding next to her. "I don't want to ruin your good time. Look it will be two, three hours tops. Why don't you and Garfield go to the casino, or a late show, and Raven and me will meet up with you later?" he suggested.

She shrugged and then smiled. "I'll get my fake i.d."

* * *

It wasn't three hours tops, or four, or even five. It was well past one in the morning, and Dick was yet to turn on his phone. She couldn't concentrate on backgammon at Ceaser's Palace, and she didn't eat her cobb salad at Stratosphere. She didn't take a single picture of her on the strip, and failed to notice the extrodanairly bright Vegas lights. Gar started the evening having a good time, but Kory was kind of a downer on his evening. She spent most of the night, checking her phone to see if Dick called, texting him, calling him. There was only so much a woman could do before seeming desperate.

Even in the midst of the bright Vegas light, Kory kept her head down flipping through her phone. Garfield rolled his eyes. He tried not to let Kory be so much of a downer on his first evening but there was an extent. He wanted to party. She wanted to go back to the hotel and wait for Dick. Where was the Kory who didn't want a relationship to compromise her independence?

She sighed again. "Maybe his cell phone ran out of power. Or maybe he got into an accident." Kory rationalized as she thought of every excuse under the sun.

Gar groaned. Enough was enough. "Kory, have you ever seen that movie He's Just Not That Into You? I didn't mean it like that." he added quickly upon seeing the look of horror struck across Kory's face. He sighed and tried again. "I just mean in that movie there was a bunch of smart, classy, and sexually appealing women, much like yourself, who wasted all their time and energy on a guy. Yes, you're in love with Dick and you can't bear to be apart for more than eighteen seconds, but he's not the air you breathe. Sometimes you're going to be away from him, and you can use that time, preferable while we're in Las Vegas, to get your sexy girl flirt on."

"Though I appreciate your gay best friend advice and attempts to get me to have a good time," she answered hooking her arm through his. "I really don't think I'm a party sort of mood."

"Gay best friend!" he exclaimed, ejecting a giggle from Kory. She tapped him playfully on the arm.

Kory leaned her head against his shoulder, as they continued on their peacefull walk. It had been awhile since they had best friend moments. "You know I love you."

Gar stopped abruptly, his jaw was pratically hitting the call girl business card littered ground. Kory looked at him questionable and followed his eyes across the streets. She sucked her teeth. There in big bright letters was Tommy Rocker's Mojave Beach. World famous topless bar. It was increbible to Kory how he'd gone from mister sensitivaty to shallow, degrading, horn dog in the time it took Britney Spears to get an anullment.

Kory stared at Gar waiting for his bugged out eyes to return to his head. "You're not really thinking about going in there. Are you?" she asked after a moment. He responded with a devilish smirk. "Gar no." she said firmly. "You _have _a girlfriend." she reminded him.

"Kory. I man can't survive on bread alone." he said matter-of-factly.

She scoffed. "Well I'm glad to hear the bulk of the American male population hasn't conformed to the stero typical x and y chromosome stance on monogomy.

"I'm very monogomous. But there's no harm in looking either." he rubbed his hands together eagerly.

"So you wouldn't mind it if Raven found out?"

He froze. "Hm, I think it would be in everyone's best interest if we kept this between the two of us."

"No promises." she said with a smug grin. "I can't guarantee it won't slip over coffee or something like that."

"Than I can't _promise_ that, that time in high school that you streaked during the winter formal won't accidentally 'slip'. You know Dick and I scheduled a guy's night for this weekend."

Kory scowled at him. "That's devious. And I respect that touché. Realistically speaking though Gar, the place is packed, how do you expect to get in?" He smiled at her triumphantly and pulled a silver VIP card out of his wallet and held it in front of his face. "Where did you get this?" she asked mistified.

He placed the card in the breast pocket of his Christian Audigier jacket. It was a goddy black sports jacket with a bedazzled lion on the back. Only in Las Vegas. "I requested it at the concierge desk at the hotel. So I'd like to get in before the twilight hours. Are you going back to the hotel or care to join me?" Kory grumbled something along the lines of I'd rather take a tour of hell, before continuing down the sidewalk in the direction of the hotel. Garfield shrugged before dashing across the street.

A long line formed behind a red closed rope, and an intimating looking bouncer. Garfield ran his fingers through his hair and pushed it up to give it that sexy messy look. He inched his way to the front of the line, becoming less and less convinced that he was actually going to get in. He flashed the bouncer his VIP card, and miracuously without a flinch he opened the rope. Garfield practically skipped inside. It was like a dream. A drinking, flashing, stripping dream. It was a little less classy than he had anticipated. Crowded and noisy. Topless girls in colorful wigs and non exsistant mod style bustiers, were go-go dancing on top of table and in cages, to loud electro funk music, while bar tenders raced back and forth to keep up with the increasingly intoxicated club goers.

Gar was overwhelmed. He managed to squeeze to the bar and hopped onto a freshly available bar stool, next to a cage. "Rum and coke." he shouted to the bar tender.

The bar tender nodded and began to prepare his drink. "Hey, I'm suppose to ask you if you want to rent a private gentleman's room. Usually the prices go for four hundred dollars an hour, but because it's a slow night the prices are two hundred dollars and hour." he yelled over the pulsating music blaring out of the unseen speakers.

"Not tonight dude." Gar answered. "My girlfriend would kill me." The bar tender shrugged and nodded understandble and slipped him his drink. Gar gupped down half of his drink, and watched the plentiful bevvy of beautiful girls gyrating to a sped up remix of Beyonce's Naughty Girl. The girl energentically bouncing in the cage next to him caught his eye. She was a petite thing, wearing a bright pink page boy wig, purple lip stick, and fake purple feather eye lashes. Even under her long beaded vest, Garfield could tell she was much less busty than the other girls. An A cup definately. His eyes strained through the flashing strobe lights to her silver panties. on her exposed hip bone there was a small pink butterfly tattoo. A tattoo that seemed so familiar to him...

His eyes widened. He knew that girl. He watched her, not even looking at him. Looking at no one in particular. She swiveled her hips and dipped down low, which was amazing considering the six inch Shanghai style hooker heels she was wearing. She danced flirtaciously, and glanced at Garfield but didn't stop dancing. She did a double take and stared at him open mouthed and shocked. Then she smiled.

"Garfield Logan?" she said happily.

"Hey Terra." he said equally happy. He hadn't spoken to Terra in almost a year. Since they broke up. He was surpsingly elighted to see her, considering the terms in which they'd broken up. A million questions rushed through his mind. "How have you been?" he settled on.

She had stopped dancing now, and bent down so that she could hear him better. She opened her mouth to answer him, when the bar tender interupted her. "You keep dancing. You don't get paid to fratinize with the customers." he said firmly. Terra bit her lip, and reluctantly stood back up. She began dancing again, with less enthusiasm.

"Rent a room." she mouthed to him. He nodded and waved over the bar tender.

"I want a room." the bar tender nodded and began typing something into the computer under the glass bar. Gar pulled out his mastercard, and handed it to the bar tender. He didn't let go when the bar tender grabbed the card. "And I want her." he said nodding to Terra.

"It'll cost you extra."

"Money is not a problem." it was his turn to be smug.

Las Vegas VIP card: eight hundred dollars a night. Rum and coke: seven fifty. Secretly meeting with your girlfriend: priceless.

* * *

Garfield had always promised himself he would never become one of those digusting perverts who rented sleezy rooms in the back of strip clubs, but there he was sitting a semi circular black plush couch surrounded by dark mirrors. There was table in front of him with a stripper pole down the center. He could still hear the music outside, only more faintly. The music was vibrating the walls. He didn't plan on making Terra do anything sexual. After all he had a smoking hot girfriend, who filled all his sexual needs. This was the only way he could talk to her. He felt surprisingly nervous and anxious. For not one second did Raven even cross his mind.

He jumped up at the click of the door knob. A presummable security guard opened the door and let Terra in. He felt his heart thumping inside his chest. Terra stepped inside the room and waited for the security guard to shut the door. When they were finally alone she jumped into his arms and hugged him. She still smelled like coconut and lime. Terra had always reminded him of the beach.

"How have you been? What have you been up to? What are you doing here?" she said pumbarting him with questions. Same old irratic Terra.

She let go of him and smiled. Sitting down next to him. Her skin and chest glistened with silver flecks of gitter. She sweetly batted her purple feathered eye lashes. "Me? What are you doing here?"

"Oh well, I began moving around the country. Trying different things and trying to find a lifestyle that I was sure I wanted to spend the rest of my life. Some places were good, someplaces were bad, some were fantastic. Anyways about four months ago I managed to make it here to Las Vegas, and I loved it but living here costs a little bit of money and when I got here I was broke. So I met Samantha, she's a dancer here, and she needed a room mate. So she got me a job and an apartment, so here I am." Said with a small smile.

Terra had always been so brash and not ashamed of anything. "How could you be ashamed of living a certain way, or doing what you needed to do to survive?" she would always say. Most shrewds of Manhattan, or most parts of the country, would frown upon her being a stripper, she would shrug it off and tell them that they were entitled to their opinion, and then proceed to win them over with her charm.

She shifted uncomfortable, before smiling at him shyly. she scooted next to her, so their faces were mere inches apart. He could smell her strawberry shampoo even under her wig, and her minty mouth wash. She perked up her barely there chest. All the memories of them came flooding back. Their weekends on Long Island. The trip to the fair. The New Years eve at Times Square. His breathing shallowed. His lips quivered. He fought the powerful urge to kiss her. Things had always been so easy with Terra, up until the end. He didn't need to try so hard to break walls for her.

"I'm with my girlfriend." he said his voice above a whisper. Her face fell and she moved a few inches away from him.

"Oh." she said not trying to hide her disappointment. If only momentairly. She smiled again. "What else have you been up to?"

Even the most innocent of questions could prove to be dangerous.

* * *

Kory had woken up at the crack of dawn, well at the crack of eight o' clock. In a half hour she'd managed to eat breakfast, have coffee, take a shower, get dressed, and apply makeup. She was determined to beat Dick. But when she knocked on his hotel room, he was already gone. That was it: Kory's day was irrevocable ruin at approximately eight thirty three AM. Kory cursed her way back to the dining hall and plopped into the seat across from Garfield. He looked a mess. His forest green eyes were blood shot, his hair was undone and disshelved, and was he wearing the same shirt he'd been wearing yesterday? Kory was in too bad of a mood to notice.

"Am I being unreasonable? I mean I knew from the get go that this was techinically a business trip, but the most I saw of Dick since we got here was at the luggage claim. Don't get me wrong I know he's working hard and I support everything he does, but I mean can't he schedule time for a drink or something equally simple." she was responded with a groan. "Gar are you list- whoah! What happened to you? You look like hell." she said reaching over for his bowl of fruit.

He picked up his empty coffee mug and poured more of the hot liquid from a silver coffee pot that was sitting on the table. "Did you just hijack my fruit salad?" he said pouring two packets of white powdery splenda into his cup and stirring it with a spoon. "Yeah, I had a late night."

"Late night? Don't you mean an early morning? When I went back to the hotel it was almost two in the morning. How late did you stay out?"

He shrugged, and stuck his fork into a stack of thick french toast. "I crawled back to the hotel around four or five."

He hesistated. Should he tell her? Kory had been his best friend for years, he could trust her. It's not like if he told her about his expensive late night rendevous with his ex girlfriend, Kory would go running to Raven with the information. Besides that is was totally innocent. They just spend the night talking and catching up. It was like it was in the honeymoon part of their relationship. There was no reason he needed to keep this a secret, right? If that were the case than why was he so hesistant to tell his closet friend?

Kory wasn't dumb. She knew almost immediately that something was wrong with Garfield. His movements were rigid, and he seemed very distant. Kory narrowed her eyes. "Gar-" she started slowly. "Is something you want to share with me?"

He stopped mid bite. "Share? Like what?" he asked somewhat nervously. Oh no! She knew! He didn't know how, but she knew.

"Well, I don't know. You seem...tense."

Gar sighed and let his fork clank down on his plate. Suddenly he wasn't hungry. "I ran into Terra last night." he said rather darkly.

Kory almost choked. Suddenly Garfield remembered why he had a hard time telling Kory about Terra: Kory hated Terra. It wasn't always like that. At first Kory generally accepted Terra. They hung out on a few occasionsions, but then again Kory was a noramally caring and friendly person. After awhile woman's intuition kicked and Kory's friendly disposition was replaced with hard glares and sneers. She would excuse herself from the apartment whenever Terra was there. Kory knew that she was cheating on Garfield. Appearantly she didn't like it.

"What!" she managed to stutter out.

"Kory-"

"It all makes sense now! It all makes sense! I thought you seemed weird, and it's because you saw that skanky hoe bag. Garfield I'm warning you: DO. NOT. GET. INVOLVED. Nip this- whatever _this _is before it gets started and gets you into a lot of trouble with your girlfriend. You remember Raven your girlfriend."

Garfield sucked his teeth. He was too tired for amom lecture right now. "Since when do you care about Raven so much? You two aren't even speaking!" Kory's face softened. He sighed. "Kor, I'm sorry. Look I really don't want to get in a fight with you. It's just-" he groaned. "I'm so confused. This situation is confusing and surprisingly complicated."

Kory shrugged. "So uncomplicate it. You ran into your ex girlfriend at a strip club in Vegas, no harm done. I suppose this had to have happened to someone else in the world before. It was a one time deal, right?" Garfield said nothing. "Right?"

"Well-"

"Gar!"

"Just hear me out." he said. "Yes, I ran into Terra last night and I actually had a good time talking to her. She gave me her address and number in case I just wanted to hang with her while I was here."

Kory stared at him incrediously. What. An. Idiot. Never for any reason should one call or visit their ex girlfriend behind their current girlfriend's back. It was a sure fire way to get into serious drama, and Garfield and Raven had already had their share of ex boyfriend drama. "You know what I'm going to say."

Before Garfield could defend himself, both of their cell phones rang simultaneously. Kory gave Gar one last disapproving look before answering her cell phone, while Gar tended to his text message. To her unending excitement it was Dick.

"Hey Dick...No, I thought maybe I'd go shopping or something...no, I'd love to...so see you in twenty...great see you then bye." Kory clicked off her phone. "Please tell me that was from Raven."

He rolled his eyes and prepared to respond to the text. She sighed and stood up connected her purse strap to her shoulder. "Well, Dick found time for me for lunch, so I don't really want your problems to be a downer on my day. I hope you know what your getting yourself into." she said exiting.

Yes, Kory was choosing to believe in her heart that Garfield Logan was responding to a text from Raven, but in her mind she knew: Raven wasn't into text messaging.

* * *

Garfield had not said an entire word all of dinner. Whenever Raven even tried to make conversation with him, his response would be vague or he ignored her completely. It was starting to anger her. It was day three of their trip and this was the first she'd gotten him alone and he was acting like he didn't want to be there. At least she was making an effort. He could not care less. Secretly Garfield was thinking about the afternoon he had spent with Terra. While Raven was attending an unexpected buyer's showroom, he went all over town with Terra. He didn't even feel guilty about it. Uh oh.

"Hey Raven." came an unexpected British accent. Garfield glared up Malcolm. Damn it. He forgot that Criss Angel wannabe had a Las Vegas gig. Raven stood up and he hugged her. Garfield felt jealousy bubble up inside him. Malcolm turned to Gar. "Hey..."

"Garfield." he reminded him bitterly.

"What a small world." he said sitting in the vacant chair next to Raven. Who invited this guy.

"Claustrophobic." Garfield answered. His words went unnoticed as Malcolm and Raven played catch up with each other. This game went on for the next twenty minutes. Finally Gar excused himself to the bathroom. When he returned he stood a distance from the table watched angry and paralyzed as Raven was sitting close to Malcolm listening intently to whatever amazing magiacian's story he was telling her. Malcolm had his hand on Raven's thigh. The thigh was Raven's turn on spot.

Garfied marched back and sat down. Malcolm removed his hand from Raven, who didn't seem to notice he had ever been touching her. Garfield had to listen to Malcolm's story about some fucking stupid magic disagreement that him and david Cooperfield had gotten into, that he had disproved. "Well, I have a late show tonight, and I have to be back by eleven." he stood up. Finally. Raven stood up with him.

"Raven." he said kissing her on the cheek. "Yoou should come see my show before you leave. It's not like anything I've ever done before."

"Definately." she said. Garfield scoffed. Why was she making promises to him. He ignored the fact that she was probably just being polite. Garfield allowed his insecurities to override the fact that Raven and Malcolm had been together for six years. He was her first real boyfriend, and probably her first love. Malcolm was a wealthy magician. He was dark like her, and probably way more compatible with her than he was. In the back of his mind he kept feeling Malcolm was the better man.

Raven sat back down, and took a sip of her martini. "What the hell was that?" Garfield growled as soon as Malcolm was out of earshot.

"What?" she asked innocently. "We were just talking." she was getting tired of him not trusting her and her having to defend herself.

"Right, and was second base part of the conversation?" he bit.

"What the hell is wrong with you? What are you talking about?"

As if she didn't know. "He had his hand on your leg."

"No he didn't." she said very convicingly. Wow, she really hadn't noticed, that or she was a very good liar.

"Yes he did! But you probably were too busy undressing him with your eyes to notice." he shot at her.

Now she was mad. "What is your problem? It's not like I fucked him. You know, I don't know what's gotten into you but I don't think I like it."

He sat up straight furious. "Then why don't you! Why don't you meet him in his fancy magic show and fuck him stupid, like some desperate groupie, and I'll go fuck some other girl!" He didn't mean to allude to Terra, but it wasn't like Raven knew about her. He was just so mad about Malcolm. If every part of her belonged to him, and no part of her even a small part wanted to be with Malcolm she would have turned him away, instead of welcoming him on her date. In her defense Garfield had been ignoring her at dinner, and at least someone wanted to talk to her.

She was tired of fighting. She leaned back in her seat and took another sip of her martini. She said very casually, "Then why don't you."

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Raven wasn't perfect. She shouldn't act like if the relationship were to end she'd be the one to end it. He could cheat on her too. He stood up. "Maybe that's a good idea." Raven didn't even watch him, as he stormed away.

* * *

Kory's date with Dick had been over the moon. She had never been to the opera before, and even though Dick was more into actually watching the Gypsy Baron, than talking to her but after his attention was all on her. Despite still being in their formal evening wear they went for burgers at the Hard Rock Cafe. The waitress didn't even respond to their over apparel. But then again they were sitting two tables away Marilynn Monroe and Elvis Presley.

They returned to their hotel room, for drinks in Dick's room. Kory shimmied out of her dress and stretched across his king sized bed and down comfortor in her strapless black bra and lace panties. Dick lounged in his dress shirt and boxer. He popped a bottle of champange, and watched Breakfast at Tiffany play out on TNT.

"Don't you think Katherine Hepburn was just so glamorous." Kory said throwing a piece of popcorn in her mouth.

"Hm, glamorous yes but Jayne Mansfield was so hot." he answered. She repsonded by playfully tossing a handful of popcorn at him.

This was the kind of relationship she wanted. Nothing planned, just hey babe want to watch a movie. They called the kitchen to bring up popcorn and champagne and didn't even bother to chek the on demand movies, just skimmed through the cable to watch whatever was on. Dick stood up and went into the bathroom. Kory hopped off the bed and pulled on a silky bathrobe. She decided that the ice bucket needed to be refilled.

She scanned the area for the room key. "Dick, where's the room key?" she yelled to him.

"In my brief case." he shouted back. Kory hopped over a small pile clothes and opened the brief case that was laying on top of a desk. She sighed. Dick's briefcase was a mess, indicating he had been rummaging through it over the course of the two days. Kory shook her head and took it upon herself to straighten the papers, while digging for the key. Knowing Dick it was probably at the depths of his brief case, or not even in it at all. While digging through a colorful chart like paper caught her eye. It had Dick's name on it and some Paolo Saint Calireè. Kory's eyes furrowed. Then widened with shock as she realized it a paternity test, taken...almost three months ago!

Three months ago! Confusion and anger battled each other out in her mind. Anger was winning.

"Did you find it?" Dick asked her coming out of the bathroom. Kory spun around waving the papers.

"What't this?" she asked accusingly. Dick's eyes flashed toward the papers and then to Kory. He remained silent. That was all the proof she needed."I'm waiting."

He said gravely, "Where did you get that?"

"Is that all you can say!" she yelled.

"What do you want me to say?" he shot back.

She scoffed and let her arms fall at her side. The evening had been perfect up until thirty seconds ago. She was deciding if she wanted to pick her battles or not. This time she was choosing to fight. "The truth would be nice." Kory bit. "Why did you have a paternity test taken? And why didn't you tell me about it?"

Dick shook his head, and sat on the side of his bed. He didn't say a word. "Dick?" she said moving in front of him. "You have nothing to say?" she tossed the papers at him.

"He wasn't mine." Dick said quietly.

Kory was stunned. Where all the men in her life complete idiots? Appearantly. She started clapping manically. "Well, congratulations you're not the father. Dick this isn't about a possible past mistake, the point is you kept it a secret from me."

Dick stood up. "So when would have been the appropriate time to tell my current girlfriend that I possible fathered a foreign kid whom I never met." It was meant to be mocking.

"Anytime! Last night when we went for drinks you could have brought it up, or maybe last week when we went to the movies. How about that time we were watching Maury and they were revealing DNA test, you could have turned to me and said 'hey I had to take one of those, once'! No, instead you opted to never bring it up. You lied to me. I told _you_ I was married, and after all of that you still don't trust me enough to be honest with me. What happened to nothing being between us? Did that mean nothing to you?" she didn't feel like crying for once. She was too disappointed to cry.

Dick sighed and flopped back onto the bed. He put his head in his hands. He felt terrible. Damn his insecurities. He looked up at her. "It means something. It does." he told her.

She shook her head. "How do I know you're not lying to me now?"

He didn't have an answer for her. He just sat helplessly as she walked away.

* * *

Raven had never been the type to feel bad about things. She who she was, unapologetic. She didn't like this guilty feeling at all. After her ruined date with Garfield she went back to her hotel and tried to blame the whole fight on him. She wanted more than anything to be mad at him, but the pettiness of the whole ordeal was shameless. It kept her up last night, which she hated. After tossing and turning for several hours, she decided to...apologize the first thing in the morning. Although he had been in the wrong for overreacting to her chat with Malcolm, she supposed she could have dismissed Malcolm as well. One of them had to be the bigger person. Besides once this nonsense was behind them, they could enjoy their last night in Las Vegas together. Perhaps go to a private burlesque show, she did look good in a bustier.

She didn't wait for her hair to dry before heading towards the elevator. Sure if she didn't blow dry it now, her hair would be stuck in volumes of raven colored waves, but there were more important things to worry about. She knocked on Gar's door.

"Garfield it's me. Open the door." she said. Not response. She knocked again. "Please open the door. I wanted to...apologize." Still nothing. Raven was loosing patience. She was beginning to think her was ignoring her.

"Gar open the damn door!" She did not risk voluminous hair so that he could ignore her from the inside of a hotel room. Before she could have a Hulk moment on his door, the door swung open except, to Raven's utter shock, it wasn't Garfield on the other side. It was a scanttily clad blonde girl. She wearing one of Gar's dress shirts, and appearantly nothing else. For once Raven was too shocked to say anything. She just stared.

The girl stared back at Raven. She was beginning to wish she had grabbed some pants before answering the door. This first thing she noticed about the woman knocking on Garfield's hotel room was that she was gorgeous. "Um," she started awkwardly. "We're not ready for house keeping so you might want to come back later."

The broke Raven from her reverie. "I'm not the maid." she snapped. "Who the hell are you?"

"Who are _you_?" Blondie asked.

"I asked you first."

Raven had never felt such jealousy before. Anger yes. Jealousy no. She really couldn't believe that Garfield had meant what he said about cheating on her. With some flat chested Vegas townie. Wasn't the point of cheating to cheat on someone more hot than the person you're cheating on? If that were the case he had down cheated. Goodness, she would have been less mad if he would have had an affair with Jessica Simpson, or someone as equally stupid.

"Oh, I'm Terra." she said smiling. Gar's ex girlfriend. He had always told Raven what a psychotic bitch she was.

"Well, what the hell are you doing here?"

Terra smiled shyly. Oh, this morning was just getting better. "We...we got married last night."

Raven almost choked on air. Married? They got in a little fight, and he relatiated be getting married? She clutched onto the door frame to support herself because her feet could no longer do it for her. "Excuse me?" she manged to gasp out.

Terra didn't know what to say. Her eyes went from Raven to Garfield who was returning down the hallway. He was extremely hung over and had went to the gift shop for aspirin. He saw Terra standing half naked in the doorway, with Raven in front of her, He froze. Raven spun around, pure rage cursing through her. She was pissed. The kind of mad when you're so mad that all you can do is shake.

She stomped away from the door. "You incredible bastard!" she yelled brushing past him. He grabbed her by the forearm, and turned her so that she was facing him. She ripped herself from him. "Don't touch me!"

Man he felt stupid. "Please just give me five seconds to explain." she began counting the seconds on her fingers. "After we had that fight last night I was mad so I went to Terra's and we went to a bar and I got trashed. I swear I was drunk, and I wasn't thinking right." his words came out extremely rushed. Raven wasn't accepting it at all. She had been wasted a thousands times in her youth, but she wasn't married.

She held out her hand in front of his face. "Oh look at that five seconds!" then she slapped him in the face. Although he knew he deserved it, it didn't mean he was any less shocked. "Don't ever try to call me again!" she growled at him, and marched off to the elevator.

Kory was right, ex girlfriends were trouble.

* * *

Kory was beginning to accept the fact that she may be a problem drinker. Some people chose solve their relationship problem with sad movies and ice cream. Some found rebound dates. Right now Kory had a date with Jack Daniels. She did a few shots and began to feel buzzed. At this point buzzed wasn't enough, so she ordered another round of shots. After her confrontation with Dick last night she spent the night in the bubble bath trying to make sense of it all. That morning she'd left her cell phone, grabbed her purse and wondered around the Vegas strip aimlessly. It was late now, and she a flight to catch tomorrow afternoon. She didn't care if she had to fly back to New York with a massive headache. She didn't care about anything right now.

She flagged down the bar tender and orderd malt whiskey. "Another? Haven't you had enough?"

"When I've had enough I'll let you know." she said bitterly. Maybe she did have a bit too much. The bar tender shrugged and placed the hard liquor in front of her. A sleek body sat in the stool next to her. On a sober day she would have been surprised. "What are you doing here? I thought you hated me."

Raven placed her black clutch on the table. "No, my hatred for your ass hole best friend took up the rest of my hatred." she took a shot off of the tray in front of Kory.

"Oh goodness. What did he do know?"

Raven laughed mockingly. "He got married."

Kory choked on her Jack Daniels and nearlly spit it onto the floor. Raven handed her a napkin. "He did what!" she coughed wiping her mouth with the napkin. Raven nodded and took another shot. "Guys are such...such-"

"Ass holes." Raven finished for her, and took another shot. She was beginning to feel buzzed as well. "I hear you sister. What did Dick fuck up this time?"

Kory drunkenly grabbed Raven's shoulder and laughed stupidly. "He possible fathered a child, and didn't tell me about it. Idiot."

Raven and Kory spent the rest of the early evening drinking heavily and sharing anti testosterone stories. Maybe it was the fact that they were both furious with their boyfriends, or maybe it was the alcohol, but they bonded. It wasn't like the friendly way they had bonded before, it more sisterly. The were not only closer than they had been in months, they were closer than they had ever been, period. Suddenly all that fighting didn't matter anymore. But then again they were drunker than Lindsay Lohan on a Thursday night.

Raven sipped on her second, or third, Long Island Ice Tea. "They... their all soo, stu-pid." Raven hiccuped.

"Yeah." Kory agreed, not really hearing what she had said. "They think all our problems can be solved with their penus."

Raven laughed. "One ti-ime. I was mad at Mal-colm, and he tried to get on my go-ood side by seducing me-e. It's like...I'm mad not hor-ny. I don't want to fuck." she started laughing drunkenly again. She leaned into Kory and said quietly, "Although you know he was _really_ good at giving head. He did this thing with his tongue, when he..." she looked around to see if anyone was listening. The bar tender standing close by had become surprisingly rigid. Raven cupped her hands into Kory's ear, and whispered. Kory started laughing.

Kory felt so much better. "I have to admit...they don't call him _dick _for nothing." They both started laughing. "You know what fuck guys."

"Yeah, fuck guys." Raven said standing up and stumbling a bit."Yeah fuck you." she told a random man walking by. He responded by tossing her a dirty look. Raven sat back down."Who needs them."

"I don't." Kory said. "Guys should be sent to some...other planet or something. I heard that they were from Jupitor or something. You think it's true." Raven shrugged.

"Probably. Okay to-day I'm vowing off of men. I have me, myself, and I, and my bestest friend Kory." she said pushing her drink aside.

Kory shot up suddenly. "That's a-great idea. No more men. I'm gonna become a lesbian."

Raven gave her a strange look. "I was just going to become asexual. But that's a good idea too."

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

James Madison Presents, was perhap the only gentleman's club in Las Vegas, or maybe the entire world, that didn't feature mostly naked girls. In fact there were no girls there at all. James Madison Presents was a club where men could be men, without their horrible nagging girlfreinds or wives, schreeching in their ear. Dick had really screwed up with Kory, and although he didn't have a lot of guy time with Garfield prior to this, he wanted someone to side with him on this. Raven sure as hell wasn't going to do it. He sat in the leather cocktail chair, his beer sat untouched on the card table in front of him.

Hm, he'd always imagined James Madison Presents to be, well less boring. The smoky haze of cigar smoke lingered over him like weed smoke in a Amsterdam cafe. The Godfather was playing on wide screen television, that he could through the class wall, while a large group of guys were huddled around the Lakers game in another room. Dick hung out in the loung waiting for Garfield. A young waitor arrived with a cigar on a silver platter. Dick silently accepted it.

Thick, cut, Cuban. Kory dispproved of smoking of all kinds. He looked around. Kory wasn't there. Perhaps to secretly spite her, Dick pulled out his now rarely used zippo, that he once frequently used back when he smoked. He watched the cigar turn a bright red color, and then stuck it in his mouth. Ah, freedom.

"Hey." came Gar's voice. The first thing that came to Dick's mind was that Garfield looked like hell. His shirt was wrinkled and untucked, his jacket was tossed over his shoulder. Gar practically fell into the chair across from him, as if he were about to fall over and die. He was also out of breath, like he'd just run a marathon.

"You look like shit." Dick simply stated.

"Thanks." he answered sarcastically. He leaned his head back. "Do you know it's way harder to get a divorce in Las Vegas than it is to get married?"

"What?"

"It's a long story." Garfield sighed. Dick pushed his virgin beer towards Gar. "No, thank you. I'm never drinking again ever. You see I ran into my ex girlfriend extremely recently and...well in a drunken and brief lasp of judgment we got married at the drive thru place Britney Spears got married in. Raven was _pissed_."

Dick chuckled. "I can imagine. He pulled open the pack of cards. They were labeled: My girlfriend is Better than Yours. "But I'm tired of talking about woman troubles. You want to play?" he asked. Garfield nodded. Dick read the rules. "So each card has a questin regarding one's girlfriend. Who ever's girlfriend applys most to the question the boyfriend wins the card. Whoever had the most cards at the end wins."

"Easy enough." Garfield said pulling the first card off of the shuffled deck. "What is your girlfriend's SAT score? Interesting. Raven scored a 1591."

Dick groaned. "Kory got a 1502."

"Is that what she told you." Garfield said smirking sliding the card to his side.

Dick responded by picking up the next card. "What is your girlfriend's bra size? Ha ha 36 C."

Gar sighed. "34 B."

Dick silently grabbed the card, not trying too hard to hide his undeserved sense of accomplishement and pride. The game continued for awhile, and Dick and Gar were evenly matched of the stupid questions. Dick got who was better with children and who had the longer legs, but Garfield quickly won with who had the smaller waist and who read the New York Times more times a month. Like most things in life the game quickly became less fun.

Dick sighed not in much of a mood to answer anymore questions. They were making him feel like an even bigger ass hole. "What...what is the nicest thing your girlfriend ever did?" he sighed again. "Well, that's a hard one. There...are so many nice things Kory has done. Like-like the time I had the flu and was on self quarantine, Kory risked contamination to bring me hot soup. Or whenever I'm having a bad day she offers to rub my shoulders to relieve the tension."

"Well, this one time I had to write a sixteen page doctrine, and my computer crashed and erased the whole thing the night before I had to turn it in. Raven came right over and stayed up all night, helping me rewrite it. Hell she pretty much wrote the whole thing." There was a silence between them. "Oh my God.: Gar said after awhile. "We are idiots."

"Complete idiots." Dick agreed anxiously.

"There's this saying-a rule or something, that in life people have like eighty percent of the things that they want, and so they go looking for the twenty percent that hey don't have and actually end up unhappier because they gave up their eighty percent for the twenty." he closed his eyes and snapped his fingers. "What's it called? It's in the back of my mind."

"The eighty-twenty rule?" Dick suggested.

"That's it! The eighty-twenty rule. Raven is so great, in her own special freaky way. Yeah sure when she's mad she has a tendency to break things, expensive things, but so what. She is everything I'm not. She's smart, and serious, and sarcastic. Oh my God, she completes me! And I probably fucked up my chances with her." Gar said panicked.

Dick slammed his half drunken glass of beer on the table. "Kory is the most wonderful person I have ever met. Ever. She is the only person who had ever made me feel like I'm not crazy, and the only thing she asks of me in return is for me to be honest with her, and I can't even do that." he stood up. "Gar do you know what we have to do right?"

Gar stood up as well. "Get naked?"

"Yea- what?" Dick said. He had assumed they were on the same page. "No, we have to apologize. We have to apologize for the all the stupid things we've done in the past, and probably will do in the future. we have to go get our women back."

Gar swung his jacket around his shoulders. "What are we waiting for?"

* * *

Dick timidly knocked on Kory's hotel room. They had been knocking for more than ten minutes, with no response. They could hear the blasting stereo through the door. Dick was ready to bust in the door. Garfield reasoned with him, by taking out a skeleton key. He slid in the key slot and watched the light flash from red to green. Dick gave him a questioning look. "You have to ask the right people." Gar explained.

Dick responded by shaking his head. He didn't want to know. He pushed the door open, and peeked inside. "Kory? Raven?" he called inside. He opened the door completely and he and Gar stepped inside. What they saw shocked them.

Kory usually perfectly tidy and organized hotel room was littered with various articles of clothing. Empty shot glasses were thrown about the room, and the t.v was on some MTV station. The most shocking was definately Kory and Raven wasted like nothing they'd ever seen. Their clothes were horrible wrinkled and they were jumping on the couch, Kory had a champagne bottle clasped in her palm.

"Blame it on the goose, got you feelin' loose! Blame it on the petrone, got you in the zone! Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol! Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol!" They belted out drunkenly. "Blame it on the vodka! Blame it on the henney! Blame it on the blue tap got you feeling dizzy blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol!"

Dick and Gar stood absolutely shocked in the doorway. Dick had never seen Kory drunk before, it had even beem awhile since he'd seen Raven as heavily intoxicated as she was. He torn his eyes from the two girls hopping on the couch, and low and behold the Jamie Foxx video was playing in the background. Kory's hair was tangled and knotted, and Raven's skirt was hitched dangerously high. Neither of them were wearing shoes. Raven turned around and caught sight of the two clearly beconfuzzled men standing paralyzed in the door way. She tapped Kory on the shoulder. She also turned around. Instead of going into defensive mode like he had half expected, they smile mischeviously.

Kory hopped onto the carpeted floor with a thud. Raven broke out into a fit of giggles. "Well look who decided to drop in." she said taking a swig from the half empty champagne bottle. She stumbled over to Dick and draped her vacant arm over his shoulder. He could smell her alcohol stained breath. God, how much did she have to drink? She was practically sweating grey goose.

Dick found himself oddly aroused. Kor was usually pretty conservative-well conservative enough. He'd never seen her so wild. He dared himself to steal a glance at Garfield, whose eyes were glue to Raven'sincreasing cleavage. "Kory," he said picking up her arm and placing it by her side. "Your drunk. I think I should take you home."

She looked disappointed. "What's the matter? You don't want to party?" she smiled at him in attempts to be sexy. "I'm wearing very expensive panties." she turned around and picked up the edge of her skirt and shook her butt. She slowly inched her skirt up until it reached mid thigh. "Don't you want a peek?"

Dick watched his mouth slightly open. A nudge from Gar reminded him of the objective. "Kory." his voice came out more moan like than he would have appreciated.

Kory put her arm around Raven's shoulder. The height difference was obvious when neither of them were wearing heels. "Raven, the boys don't want to party with us."

"Good." Raven said. "I'm a lesbian anyone." Raven and Kory snickered stupidly. Garfield and Dick exchanged questioning looks. The evening was getting stranger and stranger. "You know what Kor Kor?"y

"What Raven?" Kory said giggling.

"I don't want to party with them anyways."

There was a brief moment of silence before Kory and Raven borke down into a hysterical fit of inappropriate laughter. "I'm so glad that my_ ex_ boyfriend is a cheating ass hole. If he wasn't we would have never become friends. Again."

Garfield stepped up. "Raven, I'm taking you back to your hotel right this instance." he said uncharateristically firm. His face soften when he saw Raven's infamous scowl. "Please?"

"No!" she said. Garfield grabbed her by the forearm and began to pull her towards the door. She pulled herself out of his grasp. "Get your hands off of me! I'm not your whore!"

The door still open, and two old ladies passing by caught the last part of the conversation and sent Garfield disapproving looks. He smiled apologetically before closing the door behind him. He motioned for Dick. Dick moved over to him, and watched Raven grab the champagne bottle from Kory and chug a good portion of it down. Garfield sighed exhaustedly. He had never been the best at handling drunk girls. "This is not working. They are obviously not going to go with us, and their too wrapped up in their drunken raw raw girl power, anti male establishment, feminist sisterhood to even consider accepting an apology from us. So I think maybe we should our gameplan."

Dick nodded in complete understanding. "Agreed. We get our respective best friends, and fix the problem with our respective girlfriends later. Preferable when all the liquor has dissolved into their blood stream."

They turned back to the girls, who were huddled together whispering and giggling about broke apart when they noticed Dick and Garfield had become silent. "Um Raven sweetie." Dick started as peacefully as he could. "You are drunker than a fish right now, and we have a meeting tomorrow." he lied. "Sorry."

Now she looked disappointed. "Aw. Really?" she sighed and turned to Kory. "Kor Kor, I had so much fun. And I have never this to anyone, but I love you man."

"Aw I love you too. Kory said. The most unexpected thing happened next. Like a scene out of Cruel Intentions. Kory leaned into Raven and kissed her square on the mouth. Not a friendly peck on the lips, but a full blown girl on girl tongue kiss. Garfield and Dick looked on absolutely stunned. They had never been so shocked in their entire lives. It was completely unexpected, out of character, and totally hot. They were too stupified (or maybe turned on) to break them apart. When Kory and Raven finally did pull apart, they went into another giggle fit. No neither of them were lesbians in any way, shape, or form but it was still thrilling. Especially for Kory as it was her first girl girl experience. Raven on the other hand, had made out with plenty of chicks in her wasted teenage hay day.

"Kiss her again." Garfield said dreamily. Dick nudged him in the rib. This was getting ridiculous. He scopped Raven into Arms bridals style, and threw her torso over his shoulder. He slammed the door in his wake.

Raven continued to laugh stupidly. "Now I know why you like Kory so much. She's a good kisser."

Dick sighed. "Oh, Raven." he said pushing her into her own room, and throwing her onto the bed. "Shut up."

* * *

This took me forever to type. No Kory and Raven are not gay, their kiss was for comedic purposes only. I got a job and have a ton of summer homework for A.P history so I don't know when I can update again. This is the longest chapter I have ever written, but the next chapter is suppose to be very very long.

R.I.P Michael Jackson: the original King of pop.


	17. Bang

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans

* * *

_-"It can take a lifetime to make a friend, but a second to loose a friend."-_

"Wait." her ragged voice told him, as she pushing her hips further into him. She suddenly shuddered on top of him. He grabbed her by the waist and continued to grind her hips into his. Her soft moaning quickly increased with every hardened thrust. Garfield threw his head back, a groan slipped through his teeth. She waited on top of him, until it was clear he was placid. The sounds of their labored breathing fill the otherwise empty and silent space between them.

"So I take it you forgive me?" he had meant it as a joke. Even in the dark he could tell she was upset with him. Obviously. She climbed off of him and disappeared behind the bedroom door. He had earned a slam of the door.

Four Months.

Four months, had passed and Garfield had failed to divorce his stripper wife, and end his "sham of a marriage" as Raven so bluntly put it. Raven had forgiven him, kind of, after three long weeks of apologizing and ensuring her that he would end his "marriage" as soon as possible. Every time she asked him about it, he came up with excuses. In July city hall was closed because of a water main break. In August he needed to consult his attorney before taking any legal steps. In September she couldn't even remember why he hadn't done it, but he was still married to Terra. To make matters worse Terra moved back to New York and into Garfield's apartment.

He told Raven that as his wife she had a legal right to live with him and he would solve the problem as soon as possible. Of Course Raven didn't handle the news well, but like a fool she stayed with him. They resorted to sneaking around and meeting when they could. She felt like his mistress. After awhile their entire relationship consisted of sex. They hardly spoke anymore. Raven was loosing the very little patience she had left.

Raven reappeared from the bathroom wearing a bathrobe. "So how goes the divorce?" she said bitterly.

He sighed. He was tired of her nagging him about this. "Raven," he explained. "We've been over this-"

"Annulments are more complicated than they seem." she repeated him. "So I've been told. Everyday for a third of a year. _Four _months, Gar. It's been _four _months and you're still with her. You moved in with her. She's sleeping in your bed, while I'm sneaking around like some sort of whore."

He wrapped the sheets around his bare waist and pulled her closer to him. She resisted slightly. He grabbed her from around the waist and pulled her into his lap. "Rae." he said brushing her hair over her shoulder and nuzzling against her ear. She was not falling for that again. Even if it did send shiver down her spine. She couldn't help but swoon when he kissed her neck, and ran his warm fingers along her exposed thigh.

"Gar." it came out more as a moan than she intended. She gently pushed him off of her. He sighed and laid back on the bed.

There was silence. "So," he said trying to make conversation. "Are you and Kory going out tonight?"

It was safe to say that Raven and Kory were completely over whatever they had been fighting about. In fact they weren't just closer, they were closer than they had been before. Irony worked in interesting ways. "Yeah." she answered simply. She always gave him blunt answers when she didn't feel like talking to him. It was her way of letting him know she was upset with him.

He nervously traced circles in the sheet. "I was thinking..." he said timidly. "You could...invite Terra." he finished quietly.

Was he serious? Raven scoffed and pushed him completely off of her. "No, it's _girls_ night. Not girls, girls, girls night." Raven never missed an opportunity to bash Terra for being a stripper.

He sighed. He knew it was stupid for him to ask but Terra had been bugging him to introduce her some of his chick friends, having none of her own. For some reason Terra was the kind of girl who could have all the guy friends in the world, and girls tended to not like her. I wonder why. Kory had flat out refused having quickly sided with Raven on this one. It was annoying to him that he had been friends with Kory since high school and ever since their drunken night in Las Vegas they had been tied at the hip. Neither Kory nor Raven remembered that they had kissed. Oh well, at least he would always have the memory.

His cell phone began to ring. He leaned over the side of the bed, and fumbled to find his pants. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. It was Terra. He sighed. "I have to go."

Raven sat in the wicker chair across her room and watched him dress in the erupting twilight peeking through her bedroom windows. He finished and leaned into Raven for a kiss. She curtly turned away. He sighed.

"When can I see you again?" he asked taking her hand.

"When are you getting a divorce?"

Garfield let out an exasperated groan."Raven, I don't understand what the big deal is. Nothing has changed and it's not like we were going to get married or anything like that." He regretted the words the instant they left his mouth. Raven was silent for awhile. Her eyes glazed over in contempt.

No, she didn't really ever plan on marrying Garfield, but she had planned on never marrying anyone. What he had said made her feel like such a tool. She had never felt so used in her entire life. "That," she started slowly. "is _the most _hurtful thing you have ever said to me. What am I to you exactly? A girlfriend? A lover? A fuck buddy?"

"I didn't mean it like-"

She interrupted him. "As for things not changing look around. You've been here for all of a half an hour and you're already tip toeing back to your wife after passionate and steamy tryst of fiery love making in _my _bed." She threw her hands up. "Not that you could really call it that. I'm tired of it! I'm tired of sneaking around before and after work like some sort of whore!"

He roughly grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. His green eyes were wild and desperate. "What do you want me to do?"

Raven pushed him off of her. "End it! End it now or-" her voice trailed off. She was angry but even she knew what would happen had she finished her sentence. She was afraid of taking it there. There which was going to far. Crossing a line of no return.

She walked over to her dresser, and watched him behind her in the mirror. "Or what?" he asked behind her.

She didn't face him. "Or this is over." she said quietly.

His stomach lurched. Of course he didn't want to lose Raven. He loved her, and it killed him that he was hurting her. But another part of him was undeniable happy with Terra. He couldn' t bare to hurt her either. He just needed more time. He stood frozen in his spot, now it was his turn to watch Raven create a storm around her room. She stomped about slamming doors. The dresser drawer, the closet door, the bathroom door.

God, she was so angry with him. She pulled open the dresser drawer again and whipped out one of her many black pencil skirts. Allowing her bathrobe to drop onto the hardwood floor, she pulled the skirt over her sheer black panties. She pulled open her top drawer quickly snagging on her bra. She buttoned up her white blouse. She quickly stuffed a pair of jeans and a t shirt into her bag. He stepped in her way.

"Move." she practically snarled.

"Is that what you want?" he asked her sadly. "You want to leave me?"

She couldn't meet his eyes. "Yes." she said firmly."No. I mean...I don't know." she brushed past him. "I don't want to talk about this right now."

She was so mad at him she couldn't stand it. She didn't want to be near him. She couldnt bare the sound of his voice. She needed to leave.

Garfield stood frozen in his place as he heard Raven's footsteps stomp down the hallway, into the living room, and slam the front door with unnecessary force. He waited to hear the door reopen and making their way down the hallway again, so that they could make up and he could hold her like he so desperately wanted to do. He waited in the silent sunrise.

He waited for the footsteps that would never come.

* * *

Kory had never been to a firing range before. She admitted that when Raven suggesting going during their lunch break, she was very skeptical. They changed into casual wear and entered the underground room in uptown SoHo. Kory adjusted her goggles, and pressed the over sized red headphones to her ears. She was yet to even pick up a gun, and the sound of other people blasting away was startling.

Raven, on the other hand, blasted her rented semi automatic pistol like she had been doing it since birth. She easily made her target, with a steady hand and zero hesitation. When her rounds were gone she took out clip and shoved in another round.

She coaxed Kory over to the shooting table, and stood behind her getting her arms in the right positions. "For my sixteenth birthday my father bought me an antique World War I revolver." she told her. "Then for my eighteenth, he got me a semi automatic pistol. Now don't get me wrong I'm all for gun control laws, but you can't be a woman in the city and not know how to protect yourself."

Kory's hand was shaking. Raven pulled her arms around her waist and motioned her arms in the right position. Kory had definitely never fired a gun before. "That's very reassuring." she joked as she prepared to pull the trigger.

"Keep your eyes open." Raven told her.

She snapped her eyes open. Kory attempted to steady her hand. Her body pushed back slightly by the force of the blow."Umph." Kory handed the gun back to Raven. "I don't think this is for me."

Raven shook her head with disapprovement. Kory stepped out of her way while, Raven expertly stepped up to the table, a fired a perfect bullet into the center of the target. "Knowing how to fire a gun is a very useful skill." Raven told her. "Here try it again."

Kory hesitated. "I don't know."

"Kory," Raven insisted. "You never know when this is going to come in handy." Kory didn't move. "It'll be fun." Still nothing. Raven sighed. "It's set on safety. Fine, you win. If you fire one into the target I'll let you talk about Dick for ten minutes."

"Make it fifteen and you've got a deal." Kory said stepping back up to the table. She attempted to load the clip. "I don't need him. I don't. It's just-" she sighed. "It's been almost four months and I thought I'd be over by now, you know. Having him so close to me everyday, seeing each other at work. I feel... I don't know." she finished lamely.

"Sometime, you just have to know when to walk away. Sometimes you have to lay your heart on the line." Raven said taking the clip from her hands and easily shoving it into the gun.

"What do you mean?"

Raven sighed. "Kory, you still have feelings for Dick, obviously. And it is clear to me, and everyone else, that you never ever stopped loving him. If you really want to sort out your little fixation on him you need to lay your cards on the table."

"Huh?"

"Tell. Him. How. You. Feel." she said simply.

Kory sighed. "Yeah," she shrugged. Honestly she thought about Dick day and night. It drove her crazy. She was tired of all the lying and secrets. She wanted nothing more than to move past it. But if that were the case why did a part of her, and she didn't know how dominant that part was, that still wanted Dick. "Has there ever been a person that was the first thing you thought about in the morning and the last thing at night."

Raven remained silent. She sighed and lowered her hold on the gun. "Well, Kory now that you've killed my buzz. I met Malcolm when I was nineteen and he was twenty-four. I adored him from the moment we met at that bookstore in Boston. He was older and poetic and I was completely blown away by him. How young I was back then. We were together for six years and when it was over I honestly thought that I was finished with men and that I'd never love anyone again. And then I met Gar. And oh what a turbulent year and a half it's been, and now that I think it's coming to an end I don't feel quiet so dismal about romance and all that."

Kory gasped suddenly. "Wait coming to an end? Did you guys-"

"I don't know." she answered raising her hand and cocking the gun. "I just don't think Garfield is that into me anymore. If he were he'd divorce that tramp already instead of making excuses. I don't know if it will last, but what I do know is that if it doesn't I will be okay."

"Dick is the first person I've ever been in love with. Does it hurt? Breaking up?"

She shrugged. "It does at first. Like...like having your arm ripped out of your socket. It's unbearable at first, after awhile it becomes a dull pain, and eventually it goes away completely."

Kory growled lowly. "Sometimes when I think about him it just makes me so mad, I want to-" without another word she pulled the trigger sending a bullet right through the center of the target.

"Oh nice hit." Raven congratulated her. "Right through the center."

Kory had a feeling Raven was suddenly more interested in target practice than her light switch love story. She, herself, was suddenly feeling more spontaneous. She would take Raven's advice as soon as she got back to the office. The worst he could say was no, right?

And how bad could that be?

* * *

A hop, skip, and a leap later Kory was back at the office. She felt a certain nervousness bubbling up inside her as she made her way back to Dick's office. What would she say to him. The truth? What that sound to needy? Irrational fears also clouded her mind. What is _he _was over her? What if he thought she was too much trouble and didn't want her back. Kory shook away those thoughts, and focused herself on the positives. The worst he could say was no, right? Sure she'd be humiliated and devastated, but she would get over that eventually. Right?

The elevator stopped on Dick's floor, which was surprisingly abandoned. She forgot there was a staff meeting going on, on the third floor. She quickly weaved through the maze of empty cubicles, and down the dark hallway leading to Dick's office. The door was slightly open. Before she could knock she could hear voices inside. One was Dick's, the other an unidentified female.

"Stop it you're so bad." she heard the female drawn. Her mouth dropped open.

Before she could have a chance to chicken out and leave, she quickly rapped on the door and then did the parent thing and came in without being formally invited. There Dick was leaning against his desk with his arms crossed, while that air headed temp, Gabriella, stood across from him. They were both smiling as if they had just heard the must hilarious joke in the world. A joke in which Kory was not in on.

"Oh, hey Kory." Dick said keeping his attention on Gabriella. Kory wondered if he was doing that just to make her jealous. Probably. "What's up?"

Kory was beginning to have second thoughts. Maybe she should just...No! She had to do this. "Can I talk to you?" she asked.

"Sure." he said standing up straight. "So Gaby, I'll see you tonight."

The girl giggled stupidly, before skipping out the room. Kory watched her with amazement that she was smart enough to be employed. She had talked to Gabriella on one occasion, and it was like talking to a balloon.

She turned to Dick, suddenly mad. "So since when did you and _Gaby _get so close?" she heard the envy in her tone.

He scoffed. "Why does it matter to?" he said arrogantly. "Not jealous are you?"

"Don't flatter yourself." Kory snapped.

He stepped closer to her. "Because you broke up with me."

"Oh please. I love how the second I walk into your office you just assume I'm here to gravel and beg for you."

"Then why did you come here?"

This stumped her. She now felt all this pent up anger, and she wasn't really sure why she had come here. To...to what? Tell him that she still loved him? That whatever problems they had in the past they could work against? Whatever issues they had they could fix? That she would always love him?

Kory very suddenly felt stupid. This was a bad idea and she planned on telling Raven so the very first second she saw her again. "I...I just came here to tell you-" her mind was screaming at her to tell him, but her mouth was too proud. "Never mind."

Without another word she quickly exited his office. Unfortunately for her Dick had no intentions on letting it go that easily. "Just admit it you want another chance." he said keeping up with her pace.

"No." she said.

"Because you know you royally screwed up this time."

She stopped abruptly and turned around to face him. "_I _was the one who screwed up? If I do recall correctly _you_were the one who liked to keep secrets. And we were broken up for all of five minutes, before you scheduled dates with the fun bag twins and Gaby 'does anything you want' O'day."

He smirked vainly. "So you are jealous?"

Kory scoffed and muttered something that sounded a lot like unbelievable, before spinning around to march off. he caught her arm and twisted her back to face him. "Tell me you love me." he said in that irresistible, gruff tone of his. Kory resisted and pulled her arm away from him.

"Richard Grayson," she said using his full name. "You are the most pompous, woman-eater I have ever met. I can't believe I ever loved you."

She allowed her anger to control her for once, but Dick wasn't done playing with her heart. He'd get her to come around one way or another. "You still do." he said matter-of-factly.

"No, I don't! In fact-" Kory couldn't believe how angry she was at him. Sure they had been broken up for awhile now but, while Kory was yet to go on a date with someone other that Garfield and Raven, he had been out with half of the Ford Modeling clients of Manhattan. He acted like their long term relationship meant nothing to him. "I hate you."

He had not expected that. Or maybe he anticipated it, but didn't think she'd actually say it. The words stung like dagger through the heart. His face fell. Kory though that if she had made him feel as bad as he had made her feel, she'd feel better but she didn't. In fact she felt worse.

She opened her mouth to apologize, but before she could say anything screams began to ring out from the corridor behind the glass door. They could see people running frantically, screaming mercilessly, and pushing others out of the way. The chaos was quick and ensuing. A few people began to fill into the space around Dick and Kory. Some taking cover under desks and others making frugal attempts to barricade the doors.

"What's going on?" Dick asked one very frightened looking intern.

The intern didn't respond. He was in shock. Suddenly the doors were kicked open to reveal to large men dressed in black and wielding machine guns. People began to scream again.

"Kory Anders we meet at last." said one of men, whose voice sounded oddly familiar. That couldn't be, Kory made a point not to hang out with wackos. "Oh you don't remember me? I wouldn't really expect you to. Maybe you'll remember me as the guy you had locked away."

Fear gripped her heart and her stomach lurched. "Black mailer." she whispered to Dick.

He took a defensive stance in front of her as the two men marched down the isle towards her. "Out of the way pretty boy."

"If you want her you'll have to take me first." he said bravely, no fear evident at all.

"No problem." he said poising the gun at his chest.

"No!" Kory screamed. "Please l-leave him alone!"

The would be shooter flashed Kory a sick smile, before the second guy whispered something in his ear. He nodded understandable and loosened his grip on the trigger. "Okay ritchie- rich you and the girl are going to follow us." he said motioning them down the hallway with his gun.

The other shooter shouted to the general public, "If anyone follows us, they're dead!"

Kory and Dick quickly followed the first shooter, while the second guy stood in back of them ready to shoot them with the slightest wrong move. The first guy went to the last door at the end of the hallway, which was Raven. He kicked the door in and shoved Dick and Kory inside.

Raven who had been sitting at her desk quickly stood up. "What the hell-" she started.

"Shut up." the first guy told her. "I want everyone to get against the back wall. Any funny business and I swear to whatever fucking god you motherfucking believe in that I will shoot your fucking brains out!"

Quickly Kory, Dick, and Raven moved to the other side of the room and sat on the floor as the were instructed. The two clearly psychotic shooters began to barricade the door by nailing boards across the door. The three friends watched in horror.

It was like a bad dream. Sure, you always heard about people getting shot at work, but itwas one of those things that you never thought would happen to you, until low and behold your back is against the wall and you're staring down the barrel of a gun.

The shooters began to whisper harshly to each other. They obviously hadn't thought this the whole way through. "What's going on?" Raven whispered. "Did some disgruntled employee finally go postal?"

"Black mailer." Kory whispered to her watching their every move.

Raven stared back at them surprised. Even she had never thought of preparing for something like this, and she was prepared for everything. She could not believe the farce of her life. She and Kory had been to the firing range not twenty minutes ago.

"Hey Kory remember the other day when you asked me the definition of irony?" she whispered.

Kory rolled her eyes. Even in a crisis Raven couldn't resist being right. "We...need to...plan." she said slowly so the black mailers would not catch on.

The first one turned to them but didn't raise his gun. "No talking over there."

The cnversation quickly went silent. The gang watched as the two shooters carefully closed the blinds, and made sure no one from outside could get in. Finally the second one went to the back of the office, to the main circuit breaker that controlled all the electricity from the fifteenth floor where they were up to the twenty-eight floor. Suddenly all the lights went out, and the irritating buzz of the refrigarator in the employee louge two rooms away became non exsitant.

The shooters placed a cell phone on Raven's desk, and leaned against it facing them. He chuckled. "Now here's how it's going to go. We're holding you three bitches hostage. We have the guns, you want to live so do as we say and no one has to die."

Kory shook his head at how unempathetic he was. "Why are you doing this?"

He laughed again and turned his head to his partner in crime. "It's always the same thing with these rich people. Why are doing this."

"What do you want?" his partner chimed in.

"Please don't hurt me. Why the hell do you think I'm doing? You got me sent to prison! My family virtually disowned me. My fuck damn piece of shit father, refused to pay my bail. My wife left me, and the bitch took my kid with her so now I have nothing. I want to take everything that you took away from me from you... or a decent ransom."

Kory didn't know what to say. She had always been a naturally sympathetic person, and she couldn't help but feel somewhat compassionate for this man who had lost everything important to him. But then again he was holding an AK forty-seven to her head.

She decided to be daring. "I'm so sorry." she said. She had seen something like this on Law and Order once. "I didn't want any harm to come to you-"

The shooter growled. "I thought I said no talking."

Kory immediately gave up. They would just have to wait it out. The first guy stood guard in front of the three while his partner pulled out a laptop from a sleek case hanging from his hip. He set the lap top on the desk. "Nothing yet Otto." he said.

The seconds went by like minutes. Time had slowed at an unbearable pace, like _The Return of the Native_. Kory, Dick, and Raven remained in complete silence and immobility,while the two shooters paced around the room like bees in a bee box. The one called Otto kept glancing out of the window. There wasn't much of a view, but he could see the hoards of people crowded around the window. The police had taped off the front entrance and news people had quickly gathered on the side walks.

_News really travels fast._ Kory thought to herself stealing a glance at the clock. It was three o'clock. It had been three hours already! Well what the hell was taking so long? Shouldn't the S.W.A.T team be swoopig in through the windows on grapling hook, while the CIA bust the door? At that moment Kory realized that the life was way different from the movies.

"They are waiting to find our exact location." Otto said still facing the window, as if he could read her mind. "They will use new age heat seekers to find our precise location, then track the nearest phone. From there the negotiator will try to bargain with me to let you guys go. I will of course turn down all their offers for the first few hours and then..." his voice trailed off.

"And then what?" Dick said through his clenched teeth.

Otto shrugged and turned to face him. "And then...we'll see."

"What does that mean?" Raven asked annoyed.

"It means shut your mouths and we won't-" Before Otto could tell them what they wouldn't do the cell phone sitting on the desk began to vibrate. The room stopped. Both him and his partner stared at it for a second. Otto took a nervous breath and snatched up the cell phone.

"Yeah, they're here...fine for now...well then Ken you should probably make me a real offer...when you do find it in your power give me another call." with that he abruptly hung up. "Negotiator." he explained to the waiting room. "Charlie, a moment?"

Otto pulled his partner, Charlie, into the back room and their hushed arguing could be heard through the crack in the door. Kory knew this was her oppurtunity, she had to take it.

"This is crazy." she whispered to Dick and Raven. "We need a plan."

"Plan? What plan, they have guns!" Dick whispered harshly.

Kory scoffed. "Gu- guns? I thought those were magic wands, of course I know they have guns! Even if the negotiator can cut them a deal it's only going to be slightly less jail time. There is no way they are going to walk out of here free as a bird. These are not normal criminals. They aren't here for money, they want to stand for something."

"Kory is right." Raven agreed. "There is nothing stopping them from killing us all when the time is right. If we won't to continue living an earthly life our best bet is distracting them long enough to escape."

"That's crazy. If you haven't noticed they have locked us in here. It's not like we can just waltz out the front door." Dick reasoned. "We'd have to...to-" his voice trailed off. "Never mind, it's a stupid idea."

"What?" Raven and Kory asked in unison.

Dick watched the door. Otto and Charlie were still arguing. Appearantly Charlie was punking out, and beginning to think this was a very bad idea. Otto was trying to convince him that the plan would pull through. Otto kicked the door closed. Dick turned back to Kory and Raven.

"We'd have a get a gun from one of them." he said quietly.

Neither of them said a word for a moment. "That idea," Raven started slowly. "maybe crazy enough to get us all killed!"

"He's right though." it was Kory's turn to be rational. "It would three against two, gun on both sides. If we wait until they get distracted or put it down for a second we could turn the tables on them. We all have to agree that if we see an oppurtunity to wrangle to the gun away from one of them we'll take it. No hesistation. Agreed?"

They all agreed just before the two captors returned. Although Kory had been publicly all for giving the shooters a taste of their own medicine she secretly hoped it wouldn't come to that. She was a strong believer in seeing the good in people, and she liked to think they would have a sudden change of heart and let them go. Yeah like that was going to happen. She sighed and glanced at the clock. Time was moving so slow.

It was funny the things that ran through your mind when you thought you were going to do. Kory thought about her sheltered upbringing and all the things she wasn't allowed to do. Homeschooled until the ninth grade, body guards, cotillions. The only thing she remembered really enjoying equestrien. She had to ride side saddle, because according to her finishing school teacher riding both legs on one side was "unlady like". When she left there were so many things she promised herself she was going to do. None of which she ever did. In fact she hadn't been a horse since she was seventeen, let alone bare back.

She looked at Dick. His head was resting on the back of his hands, which were casually sitting on his knees. She imagined he had here eyes closed. She wondered if he was thinking about they kids they might never get to have. Oh, how sorry she was. She wanted to tell him that. She wanted to tell him how wrong she had been. Whatever stupid fight they had, had it didn't matter right now, it didn't matter ever. The only thing that mattered was now.

Kory leaned into Dick. "I'm sorry." she said her eyes swelling with tears. He looked up at her. "I'm so sorry." her voice cracked. "I-"

Dick embraced her tightly, silencing her words. "Don't be. Don't ever be." he murmured into her hair.

Even in a hostage situation Kory couldn't help but smile. It was such a being in love means never having to say you're sorry moment. She thought those only exsisted in movies. She could feel Raven's rolling eyes burning into the back of her head, but she didn't care. Kory wiped eyes and gently pulled away.

"What the fuck is that!" she jumped at the shooter's sudden voice. Otto was standing at the window, with the curtain pulled back ever so slightly. Suddenly the phone rang. He snatched up the phone off the desk and instantly began screaming into the reciever. "Yeah Reggie I fucking see it. Where are you?....The fourth floor...is anyone with you...good...keep it that way." with that he hung up.

Kory gasped. "There's another shooter in the building." she whispered.

The phone rang again. Otto snatched it up. "You're fucking with me!" he immediately yelled at they assumed to be the hostage negotiator. "You think I don't see that fucking snipe! Tell the FBI that if they keep trying to play me someone is going to get hurt!" he threw the phone against the desk, startling Kory.

He sighed and began to slowly pace in front his hostages. Their eyes followed his every move. He was loosing his grip. This was good, they just needed him to break. In rage he kicked an innocent near by trash can, sending in flying into the wall. Kory jumped upon impact. It actually left a dent in the wall. Raven scowled, she was probably mad that he was damaging her office. He then laid his gun on the desk next to the cell phone, and pulled a pack of cigarettes. He slipped a cigarette between his lips and lit it with a lighter that was in his pocket.

He smoked in silence gazing at something that they didn't really know what. "I can't really say that I'm sorry you all had to involved with this. Especially you." he directed at Raven. "Not really you personally but...Well it's a long story that involves your daddy but, let's just say when I kill you I'll be doing the world a favor." he took a long drag. "One less Roth to worry about." he laughed. "Didn't your mom virtually abandon you? And your father, well there's no real need to explain that. But didn't grandfather flee Germany before the war started?" he shook his head. "Coward. I personally couldn't imagine being brought up with that family. Sucks."

Raven could take a lot of crap from people. It didn't bother her when people talked about her father, in fact she kind of expected it. She didn't even really mind when people said things about her mother, but her grandfather was the only person in her entire family who she felt had never abandoned her. When Otto called him a coward that tore it for her. She took it very, very persoanlly. She muttered under her breath. "Your mom sucks."

Otto slowly looked up from his cigarette. "What did you say?" he demanded. Raven was silent. She didn't at all afraid of him. She looked like she was trying to piss him off. He roughly grabbed her by the arm and yanked her up. For a second Raven was actually taken by surprise. He grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. Her eyes were glaring. "Do you have something to say bitch." he growled. He was seething for a moment. "Do you have cock sucking lips do go with that big mouth."

He then let go of her face, but kept his grip on her arm. He leaned against the desk and unzipped his pants. Raven stared at him disbelievingly before he forced her on her kness. "Go ahead suck it." he told her. "If you bit me I'll shoot your friends and make you watch." she didn't move. "DO IT!" he screamed at her.

For the first time in her entire life Raven felt completely helpless. She couldn't bare to look at Kory and Dick, it was to humiliating. So she did the only thing she could. She parted her lips slightly and began to move toward his exposed member. She grinned as if he'd just taken down Goliath. Her lips moved closer to him, and she carefully watched his arrogant face. At the last minute, however, she landed a hard punch into his stomach. "Oof." he double over. Raven then hit him square in the jaw with an upper cut.

He stumbled over slightly, knocking into the window. She knew those two years of boxing lessons would come in handy one day. Unfortunately for her Otto didn't plan to go down without a fight. Blood oozed out of his mouth from where she made him bite his tongue. His partner Charlie, looked on in shock. She continualy knocked cross punches into his cheek. Otto managed to block enough punches to land a hard jab into Raven's stomach.

She leaned over a bit, and he clasped both hands together and punched her down with the force of his fists. Raven fell onto her stomach, and coughed from the force. She quickly stood up began to repeatedly use a jab motion to knock his head back. She then positioned herself for a hook, but he grabbed her wrist and held it back. Otto used a bolo punch move to her face. Raven took another uppercut to his face, and at the same time swung his leg under her own knocking her off balance.

Raven landed on her back and the her head ricocheted off the floor, blackening her visions for a second. She groaned in pain. Infuriated at her resilance Otto kneeled over her and ripped her shirt open. He wrapped his hands around her neck and tightened his grip. Raven tried to claw his hand to no avail. She made a horrible gasping noise, as the oxygen left her lungs.

"Raven!" Dick was about to jump to her rescue. Charlie swung his gun around and pointed it at Dick. Dick froze.

"Don't even think about it." he warned. Dick watched helplessly as his best friend was being assaulted. Then something unexpected happened. Charlie's face softened. He made several lurching movements as if he were going to intervene. "Al- alright Otto, that's enough." he said.

Otto glared at him. For hesistated then let go of her throat. Raven gasped her air to soothe her starved lungs. Raven took a second to regain her composture before crawling back over to Dick and Kory glaring hatefully at Otto. Yet after all that she still didn't appear to be scared. "Your bleeding." Kory's shocked whisper told her.

Bleeding was an understatment. There was a large bruise on her left cheek bone, the right side of her lip was cut, and there were dark finger shaped bruises all around her throat. Raven wiped the trail of blood from her nose, shakily with the back of her hand. "I'm fine." she said simply.

Kory's heart sped up. She was suddenly feeling very claustrophobic. This could not be happening. She was a good person. This couldn't be happening to her. She stole glances at the door, the uncontrollable urge to get up and run right out of the room. This was so insane and surreal.

"Oh man! Oh man!" Charlie began pacing madly. "What were we thinking? This is crazy." he paced to the door. "I'm turning myself in."

Otto grabbed his shoulder and twisted him around. "No way! You're in too deep. If I go down, you go down. There is no way you are abandoning me now."

"Let go of me." he said ripping his arm away. When he pulled his arm away it swung in an awkward way setting the gun off. There was a loud bang, and a bullet hit the ceiling sending a cloud of dust flying into the room. Kory shrieked, and everyone in the room gave an involuntary duck. There was another loud bang where a shot flew in from the window. It hit the wall right above Kory's head.

Otto jumped up from the ground crawling military style toward the gun. With his back pressed against the desk he grabbed his gun and phone off the desk. The phone rang again. "Yeah...those fucking snipes took a shot. No, don't come up." he hung up and punched in another number jumping off the floor. "You made promises Eugene! No shots would be fired so tell me why the fuck a fucking bullet just came in through the fucking window...No, I'm nit make negotiations anymore! The next bullet is going to be fired into one of these hostages head."

He hung up, and sent the phone flying into the wall breaking it into two pieces. Charlie shoved him in the chest. He was breathing heavy and his eyes were watering with tears. He was loosing his grip. "Why would you say that to them Otto! They have guns! They're going to fucking shoot us."

Otto shoved him back. Charlie began pacing again, tears streaming down his face. "You said we were just going to rob the place! You said no one was going to get hurt." He turned to face the door. "I can't go back to prison. I'm sorry." He positioned the barrel of the gun under his chin. Otto quickly raced toward him.

"No!"

BANG!

Otto stopped in his track, his face splattered in blood. Charlie's dead body lay limp on the floor, a steadt stream of blood flowed from the wound on his face. Kory began to scream bloody murder. Charlie stood horrified, his plan was quickly falling apart.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

Three more shots rang through the office. It shattered small bullet sized holes into the window, and hit the wall. Kory, Dick, and Raven pressed low against floor covering their heads. "What the fuck!" Otto yelled in the midst of the chaos. Without thinking he yanked Koory up by the arm and pulled her towards the window. He pulled back the curtain shaking Kory in front of him. "I will shoot her fucking brains out." he screamed at the sniper across the street."DO IT! I swear to God I'll-"

Before he could finish his promise Dick pummeled him from behind sending all three of them to the ground. Dick reached over Otto's head to try to grab the gun. Otto tightened his grip and twisted his body over so that his body was on top of the butt of the gun. Dick grabbed a handful of his hair yanking his head up and punching his in the face. Otto involuntarily let go of gun, which Dick tried to pull from under him. Otto kept his hold on the gun, and was pull to his feet as Dick pulled up the gun.

Otto held the gun with both hands, and hit Dick in the jaw with the other end of the gun. Kory came from behind him and jumped on his back. He was temporairly stunned. Everything was moving so fast. He backed into the wall and continually pounded Kory against the wall. Dick tackled him from the side, again sending all three of them to the ground. Kory crawled from under Otto, as he and Dick began to both fight for the gun. Otto pushed the gun out of Dick's reach and hopped up to run toward it. Dick grabbed his ankle sending him crashing to the floor. The gun was between them and both Dick and Otto began to struggle for the gun.

BANG!

BANG!

Dick rolled onto his back clutching his abdomen. Red began to seem through his shirt as the blood flowed from the two bullet wounds. Otto took this moment of vulnerability to stand over him like a predator to prey. He positioned the gun to his head. Raven stared back in horror.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

Otto dropped the gun onto floor and stared at the wall aimlessly. He dropped to his knees before falling over unconcious onto the floor. Blood flowed from his unmoving body. Raven and Dick turned to Kory whose was holding Charlie's smoking gun pointed directly to the spot where Otto had been standing. Her eyes were watery and her hands were shaking. She had a look of unbelievable horror, like what-have-I-done.

Raven sat up and crawled over to Dick. She lifted up his shirt and winced at the sight of the bullets lodged into side of his stomach. "Kory, we need to get him help." she told her, pulling Dick into a sitting position. Kory didn't seem to notice.

Raven pressed her finger against Otto's lifeless body. There was a pulse. She kicked the gun out from his reach. "He's alive." she assured Kory knowing what she was thinking. "But we need to get out of here."

Kory stared at her blankly for a second, before nodding. She dropped the gun and ran over to Dick. She put his arm over her shoulder, and Raven did the same on the other side. "One the count of three." Raven told her. "One...Two...three." They hauled Dick up and began to half drag him toward the door. "Wait." Raven said sliding out from under Dick.

She picked up the gun laying near Otto's limp body and opened the clip allowing all the tiny gold colored bullets to fall onto the rug clanging together. She held the gun by the opposite end and began to smash it against her desk until the butt and trigger of the gun broke off from the barrell. She did they same to the gun that Kory used to shoot Otto. She got under Dick again. "Okay, let's go."

Kory and Raven began to look around for shelter. The hallway was dark. Kory sqiunted in the dark. She gasped. "They put locks on the door we can't get to the elevator."

Raven adjusted Dick's weight on her shoulder. "It wouldn't matter they shut off the electricity on this floor. And z besides, there is another shooter walking around, and he could be anywhere."

"They said...fourth floor...'bout hour ago." Dick added his voice sounded winded.

"You no talking." Raven snapped. "But he's right. After the chaos that just happened he'll be up here to investigate probably any minute now, so we need to move as soon as possible."

Dick groaned from the pain. Kory took a deep breath trying not to loose herself. "He needs to get medical assistance right now. If we take the stairs we can try to make it out the front door." she suggested.

"What if we run into the shooter? Besides that we're on the fifteenth floor." Raven reasoned. There was a loud crash coming somewhere from the abyss of darkness beyond the locked double doors.

"It's better than just sitting here." Kory said.

Kory and Raven turned carefully and began to pull Dick toward the doors of the staircase. Kory made sure not to look inside of Raven's office as they passed. It was more than she could handle. She pushed open the creaky doors to the stair case. Raven hopped down the first step and waited for Kory to hop down as well. They moved slow as not to agitate Dick's injuries. It took alot longer than they had expected. The first floor was thirty staircases down and with no electricity the air conditioning was not on. Three hundred and seventy two stairs and an hour and a half later, they were only halfway done.

"I'm beginning...to think... we should have just waited to be rescued." Raven panted. Her hair was damp and wrinkled with sweat, and she had her jacket tied around her waist. She and Kory had long since abadoned their shoes, somewhere on the twelfth floor. Kory's hair was pulled into a messy bun and her cheeks were flushed a deep red. She struggled to hop down the next step.

Dick groaned. "Wait." he hissed, swaying to the side. Kory and Raven gently helped him lean down so he was sitting on the bottom step. The blood was soaking through his shirt.

"We can take a quick break." Raven said leaning against the concrete wall. The grey felt good against her skin. Kory used her over shirt, which she had taken off a half hour ago to wipe the sweat off of her glistening neck. She took this moment to catch her breath.

"We have got to be almost there." Kory said exasperated. "What floor are we on?"

Raven sighed. "I don't know. I lost track after we past the eighth floor." Raven said.

"We past the eighth floor?" Kory asked.

"No...we past...ninth floor." Dick panted.

"Are you sure because the last I remember we were on the tenth floor." Kory said.

"You know what I think Dick's right. We just past the ninth floor, which means we're _on_ the eighth floor." Raven said.

Kory moaned. "We're only on the eighth floor! This is going to take all night to-"

There was a loud crash above their heads. Raven and Kory jumped up and leaned over the side of the railing and looked up. About four stair cases up, they could a dark figure gazing down at them. "Oh shit!" Raven cried quickly pulling Dick up and Kory shortly following her movements.

They could the rapid footsteps shooting down the stairs. Raven moved forward a few feet and yanked open the nearest down. Just then two bullets crashed into the metal door above their head. Kory and Raven shrieked. The shooter was now two cases away, and had appearantly fair aim. Kor pushed the rest of Dick's body into the hallway. Raven nerogated Kory and Dick down the hallway.

What to do, what to do? They were running out of time. Without thinking too much Raven began to try to open the door in the hallway. The first two were locked. By chance the third door was open. Kory and Dick practically fell into the room.

Raven used one arm to push a stack of files off of a heavy filing cabinet. She knocked the cabinet onto it's side with a loud crash. She prayed the shooter didn't hear. She pushed cabinet in front of the door, with much difficulty. Kory laid Dick down in the back of the room hidden behind a desk. Raven could hear footsteps in the hallway. She kneeled down with her back pressed against the cabinet.

Suddenly a light flashed into the tiny window. Everyone was dead silent. Kory clasped hands over her mouth to silence her harsh breathing. The light lingered for second before moving on. They remained stiff until they heard the creaking of the stair doors down the opposite end of the hallway.

As soon as he was gone Kory hopped up, crying hysterically. "Oh my God! Oh my God we're going to die! And I'll killed someone! I'm going to hell."

Raven turned around. Her mind was racing. She didn't what to do. She looked from Dick's profusly sweating and bleeding form to Kory. Her mind was blocked. Dick needed help now. If they waited for an ambulance he was going to bleed to death. She took a deep breath remembering that she was the calm and collected on. After taking a minute to remeditate herself a plan began to boil, but she would need Kory's help.

"Kory-" she said calmy.

Kory wasn't listening. "I'm going to hell! I've killed someone."

"Kory-"

"What have I done!"

Dick laughed the best of his ability, in his delapidated state. "I think...she's going...into hysterics...maybe...you should...slap her."

Raven rolled her eyes. She went over to Kory but didn't slap her. She gently grabbed her shoulders. "Kory, listen to me." she looked her straight in the eyes. "You did what you needed to, to survive. You didn't kill him and even if he had died he did it to himself. I am proud of you." Kory stopped crying. "Now listen. I don't know when or how we're getting out of here but we are all going to survive got it." Kory nodded. Dick's needs our help. I can help him until medical help arrives but I'll need your help. In order for you to help Dick, you need to keep calm, understand?"

Kory nodded, and took a deep breath. "I got it. What do you need me to do?"

"Uh okay let me think." she said trying to keep calm. She had to be the level headed one in this situation. "Look in the drawer and find me tape, two straws, and a bottle of water."

Kory nodded and crawled over to the desk. She pulled out the first three drawers, digging through piles of papers to search unsuccessfully for the items. She yanked out the last drawer locating the tape and two straws. She looked around the office for another place to look. Her eyes landed on the closet in the back. She twisted the door open and began throwing various articles outside the closet.

She handed Raven a first-aid kit. In the back of the closet was an unopened case of water bottles. She pulled one bottle and handed it to Raven. Raven pulled her hair into a messy bun, and rolled up her sleeve. She unbuttoned Dick's shirt to where to bullet wounds were. She stared for a moment, preparing herself for what she had to do next.

"Okay." she took a deep breath. She untied her jacket from her waist and ripped the sleeves off forming a makeshift rag. She opened the medical kit and took out a long pair of tweezers and poured the bottle of alcohol on them dor sterilization. "Put this between you teeth. Kory hold his hand." she told them. They did as they were told. Dick tried to relax his muscles, to lessen the pain. Kory took his hand and placed it between both of hers.

He squeezed his eyes shut. Raven slowly inserted the tweezer into the wound. Dick groaned in pain. She slowly pulled it out. She had more difficulty with the second one. It was lodged in more deeply. She had to forced the tweezers through a bit of tissue to clasp onto it. Dick's breathing hallowed as he tried not to scream in pain. He wished had some whiskey right about now. Raven finally manuvered the bullet out.

Raven wiped away the seeping blood with her discarded jacket. Quickly she gently poked an end of the straws into the openly bleeding wounds. She taped in the straws together in the middle and then to the side of Dick's stomach. She then popped the cap off of the water bottle and stuck it into the water. There was a weird wheezing noise. Dick and Kory looked at her confused. "It's to keep oxygen out and from infecting the wound." she explained.

"Where did you learn that?" Kory asked.

"I saw it on an episode of In Plain Sight." she shrugged and wiped her hands on her jacket. "This is only temporary. We need to find an ambulance. Dick, I know it's hot but don't drink any water. We need to get an ambulance as soon as possible. Is there a cell phone in here?"

Kory leaned her back against the wall next to Dick. "I think I saw one in the top drawer."

Raven twisted her back around and pulled put a semi ancient looking phone out of the top drawer. She pressed her finger against the red phone button, and waited for a response. Nothing happened. "Damn it." she said quietly. "It's not charged."

She stood up suddenly and began to enact her next plan. She picked up a piece of tin foil off of the desk from where someone had abandoned their lunch. She folded it into a neat sqare and placed it next to the cell phone. She opened the closet door and began searching through the pockets of all the coats until she found a lighter. Sitting back down across from Dick and Kory and picked up the tweezers and wiped off the remaining blood. She opened the back of the phone and took out the square battery and placed it on top of the tin foil. Raven then used the tweezers to pull out two red wires inside the phone. She wrapped the wires around the battery and picked up the tin foil. She then switched the lighter on underneath of the tin foil.

"I learned this is physical mechanics class." she said to no one in particular. "I don't know how long it will take, or if it will even work, but if I can just get a little bit of power we can call the police and they can come in here and save us."

After there was nothing to do but wait.

Kory felt a familiar anxiety, but this time she was worried about Dick. He was sweating profusely and had two only partially treated gunshot wounds. There was a shooter trying to kill them, and there was no air conditioning. She couldn't imagine the situation being any worse if a spontaneous earthquake erupted engorging a giant hole in the middle of room, in which they fell in and landed in the center of hell. But then again hell couldn't have been to much hotter than this rooom. Dick tried not to complain to much. There was only so much Kory and Raven could do in their current situation. He groaned. Kory picked a gauze pad from the medical kit and taped it to a wooden skewer. She dipped it in an unopned bottled of water and swirled it around Dick's mouth.

"...thanks..." he said.

"No problem. Are you comfortable." she yawned. She hadn't realized how late it was. She glanced at her watch, which stated it was near midnight. They had been in the building for nearly ten hours.

"...Kory...if you're tired...should...sleep..." Dick sounded more concerned for her.

Kory took his hand. "No way. If you have to stay up I'm going to stay up with you. Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Pain is good...pain means...you're alive." he answered.

Raven sighed and continued to try to charge the cell phone. She was loosing patience. If there were cell phones in prehistoric times, this is the way cavemen would have charged them. She stopped for a moment and rubbed her eye and attempted to stifle a yawn. Kory graciously offered to take over for her, and suggested Raven get some sleep. She, of course, declined. Raven was leaning against the desk. Her head was tilted toward the ceiling. If it were lighter in the room, they would have able to see that she had fallen asleep.

After twenty wasted minutes Kory's hand began to cramp, so she curtly quit trying to charge the phone. She sighed indifferently. "This is ridiculous."

Dick looked at Raven for a long while. "Do...you...think she's...sleeping..."

Kory looked at him. "Why?"

"...want to...tell you something." He shifted his weight slightly to the side. "Kory, I was...so stupid. After we...broke up...I wanted...tried to convince myself...that-that I didn't...need you. But the thing is...I do-need you I mean. Your probably...not going to...like what I'm about to say...but it is to make...a point...so stay with me. I have been...with a lot...of girls...but..." he sighed trying to find the right words. "It's like...whenever I think...of you...I get all breathless...and when I...see you it makes me happy. Even...when we were apart. I've been thinking...and I realized something. When my parents died...I put up walls...and you knocked them down...with a chizel and a...sledge hammer probably. Anyways...you were-are...the only women whose ever really held my heart....and made me remember that I still have one. Kory, I guess...what I'm trying to say is...I love you. I'll always love you...I promise...and twenty years from now you can hold me to that. I-I'm...just glad your here with me."

Kory frowned, her eyes waterd. Why did she have to be such an emotional person. "Don't talk like that. You are going to be just fine."

Before Dick could resppond he began coughing. It started off as a light gasp but quickly transformed into hacking chokes. Blood spilled out of his mouth. Kory hopped up and held the rag to his mouth. The coughing woke up Raven.

"What do we do?" Kory asked panicked.

Raven remained silent. She didn't move. "I don't know." she said half stunned herself. "I don't know."

The coughing lasted all of a minute. Finallly they subsided. Dick leaned his head back to weak to say anything else. Kory took several gulping deep breaths, trying and failing to remain calm. Where were those damned police officers. Shouldn't they have been there by now. Dick couldn't wait any more. They need help right away or he was going to die.

Raven was silent. There was only one way that Dick might be able to get help, but it was pretty risky. She looked at Kory's crying form hovering over and tending to Dick's semi concious body to the door. She took a deep breath. "Raven I need your help-" Kory said distracted.

"Kory," Raven started slowly. "Dick needs help right away."

"Obviously." Kory said slightly urked. This was a very inappropriate time for Raven to loose it, or become hazy from a heat stroke, or whatever the hell was happening to her right now. "I think he's dehydrated, we need to close the wound. I think I saw some needles in the medical kit but I'll need your help to-" she was interupted by loud schreeching.

She turned around to see Raven moving the filing cabinet. "What the hell are you doing!" she said grabbing her by the shoulder.

"I need to get downstairs and outside to get help." she explained rather calmly.

"Are you insane! Did you bump your little head? Are you suffering from heat dimentia? There is a shooter out there, you're not going anywhere." Kory tried to reason with her.

Raven ignored her. "I have to go get help. We can't wait around for someone to save us anymore. I know there's a shooter out there, and I'll be really careful."

"Raven-"

"If I don't go Dick is going to die." Raven finalized.

That shut Kory up. She didn't feel comfortable splitting up the group, and it certaintly wouldn't help her psycologically to have to worry about Raven being gunned down. Raven was right, Dick could no longer be delayed professioanly medical attention. When Raven was finished clearing the door way of the filing cabinet she stared at the door reluctantly trying to will herself out. "Okay, when I'm out move the cabinet back in front of the door. If for any reason I can't make downstairs and have to come back up here I'll knock three times to let you know it's me."

She took several deep breath, but still couldn't find the strength to leave. "At least let me go." Kory offered.

Raven was silent as if she were actually considering the offer. "No, you should stay here with Dick. Don't worry about me, I'll be find."

As soon as Raven was gone, Kory did as she was instructed and moved the cabinet. Her eyes began wincing with sleepiness. She plopped back down next to Dick, and rested her head against his immobile shoulder. She felt the gentle movement of his breathing body before she drifted off to sleep.

Kory was asleep for about an hour. She felt dizzy when she woke up and even in the abyss of darkness her vision was doubled. She rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes. It took her a second to remember where she was and the recent events of the night. She crawled over the case of water and gulped down half the bottle. "Are you dehydrated?" her dried voice asked Dick.

He was in the exact position as he was when she had fallen asleep. His head was still tilted back and his mouth slightly open. "Dick?" he said nothing. Kory thumped down in front of him panic rising in her chest. "Dick?" she began to shake him.

"Huh." he made a weird mumbling sound indicating he could hear her.

"No, don't go to sleep! You have to stay awake." she said fruitlessly trying to keep him awake. His head thumped against the wall. Kory ripped open his shirt and felt around his chest for a pulse, it was racing. She leaned against him and began to cry. "No, I can't loose you."

Before she give into despair, she heard the loud clumping of footsteps coming down the hallway. Fear gripped her, and she shrunk into the shadows like a frightened prey. She could see bright lights shining into the room. This was torture. She was almost ready to open the door and let death run through her.

"This is the NYPD. Is anyone in here." a booming unfamiliar voice echoed in the hallway.

Kory's head picked up. Without another thought she began screaming. "In here! We're in here!" she ran to the door and with super human strength picked up the filing cabinet and flung it to the side. Several police officers in thick bullet proof vests were surrounding them in a minute. One officer bent down to Dick and checked his pulse. He picked up a walkie talkie resting on his shoulder.

"This is Officer Daniel Walter, and we have victim of severe lacerations and ballistic trauma, requesting a stretcher to the eighth floor ASAP."

One female officer tried to nudged Kory out of the room. "C'mon you don't need to be here."

Kory however resisted. "No, I have to stay with him."

The next few moments were so quick and dream like, in the future Kory would be unable to recall them. She remembered the ambulance arriving and loading Dick up in what seemed like no time at all. She remembered the huge crowd outside watching from behind the yellow police tape, the flash of photographers and reporters shoving microphones in her face. It was all so hazy but she couldn't remember if she had made a statement or not. The ride to the hospital was surreal.

Codes were being called and attendents were rapidly moving about pulling out the materials they would need until they arrived at the emergency room. As soon as they were at the hospital Dick was wheeled away and out of her sight. She waited for him in the hallway and declined any offer made to check her out. She blow it off as "a few bruises". Raven met up with her, and as uncharacteristic as it was embraced Kory into a soothing hug. Kory hadn't realized she had been shaking until then.

It was early in the morning when the doctors were finished and Dick was out of surgery. It wasn't until the tired doctor in the boody blue scrubs told her that Dick was fine and expected to make a full recovery that Kory could breath again and time began to move a normal pace. Kory was allowed to see him. Tears formed in her eyes when she saw that he was sleeping.

Sleeping.

It brought tears to her eyes because it meant that Dick would be okay. It meant his body was cooperating with treatment. It meant that he would able to get tired again.

And mostly it meant that they were both alive.

* * *

Kory had fallen asleep in a chair right next to Dick's bed, holding his hand. She woke in the early afternoon and a blanket had mysteriously found its wat over her shoulders. She stretched her arms and back here unusually tense. She was surprised to see that Dick was awake and looking well. As well as a person who just got shot twice could look.

"Hey." he said meekly. His voice was still rather dry. There was a silence. "I guess I'm Fifty-Cent."

"Huh?" Kory asked. SHe was too tired to for this right now.

"I got shot and lived, that makes me Fifty-Cent. Now If I had died I'd be Tupac."

She scoffed and tried to hide a giggle. "You just got shot and you're making jokes?" she asked amazed.

He shrugged. "I guess I'm just that kind of person." There was another silence. Neither of them could find the right words to say after what had just happened. Dick tried comic relief but that was very temporary. "So," he tried again. "Bruce got on a plane from Tokyo as soon as he hear. He should be arriving any-"

"Marry me." Kory blurted out.

"W-what!" Dick said slightly horrified.

"Marry me." she repeated. "Dick I love you and I don't want to waste any more time. Last night...being in a hostage situation made me realize that tomorrow is not a gurantee. I almost lost you and I couldn't bare life without you. All the bad stuff that happened...forget them. They don't exist anymore. I don't want to end up being filled with all this refret wondering everyday of my life what could have been. I don't want to wonder, I want to know."

Dick looked at her blankly. He was hoping this was a drug induced hallucinations from whatever he was being hyped up on from whatever was hanging in that IV drip. No such dice. He watched her hopeful eyes waiting for a response. "Kory," he said as gently as possible. "I can't. I'm sorry." her face fell. He leaned his head back so that he was staring at the ceiling. "I just need more time."

* * *

Raven had spent three hours at the hospital being fussed over by nosy nursing, after insisting several times that she was fine. She was then whicked away to the police precint to give a thirty-three page detailed report of everything that had happened. It wasn't until after six in the morning that had been able to call Garfield (from a pay phone) and tell him that she was okay. He agreed to meet her at a cafe. There was something she needed to ask him.

He was sitting at a table alone. His clothes were wrinkled, his eyes bloodshoot, and oh hey look he even brought five o'clock shadow with him, indicating he hadn't gotten much sleep that night. He jumped up when he saw Raven. "Oh my God, Rae!" he said pulling her into a hug. She silently accepted it, but remained stiff in his arms. She was still in shock and world weary. She made a mental note to make an emergency appointment with Dr. Allie. She sat down across from Garfield and silently listened to him ramble on about watching the news and worrying like crazy. Raven drifted in and out of the conversation but nodded at the appropriate moments. She would make it a point to call her mother as soon as she walked through the door, as she had probably called ten thousand times, and depending on how slow news traveled from New York to California had concluded that she were dead otherwise she would have called back by now.

Garfield made a big deal about the bruises on her neck, and promises she knew he wouldn't keep. She wished he wouldn't she had been fussed over and coddled enough at the hospital. She stared into her cup of tea, completely exhausted. She couldn't wait to go home and sleep for ten years. Garfield's cell phone rang. He glanced at it and sucked his teeth. "It's Terra. She want to know where I am, but I can stay awhile longer if you need to talk or something."

She looked at him amazed. "Garfield I could have died. I almost died. And yet...you still don't want me, do you?" it was more of a statement than it was a question. "Gar, when I was trapped in that room I did a lot of thinking about my life. Don't think we're okay just because I'm here.I have come to the conclusion that there will always be a part of me that is in love with Malcolm, just like I'm sure there is a part of me that is in love with Terra. But the difference is I'm not with Malcolm. I'm here with you, but your not really with me. If you really wanted me you'd be with me, you'd realize that I might not be here tomorrow. The entire time I was trapped in that room I kept wondering would you be more upset if it were me in there or Terra...and I think I have my answer."

He shook his head. "Rae, what are you saying? What is this?" he frowned.

Raven sighed and stood up, and turned so her back was facing him. "This is me breaking up you. For good this time."

She left without another word. She didn't even look at him one last time. There was nothing really sure about her life, she realized, which hadn't been proven time and time again. All that complusive planning and she still found herself stuck at fork in the roads. There was one thing she was sure of though: when she broke up with a guy she really went out with a bang.

* * *

This is by far the longest chapter I have ever written. I wrote a lot of it while I was at work, stayed up very late into the night, and have a permanent wrist cramp so therefore I think I deserve at least 4 or 5 reviews. I realized that I've been so focused on this story I haven't written anything new in 2 years, so I will take a very quick break to write Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which if all goes according to plan will be three chapters and take me like a week to complete.


	18. Look What You've Done to Me

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans

* * *

_-"I tried to do handstands for you, but everytime I fell for you.  
__I'm permanately black and blue, permanately blue for you." Bruises, Chairlift, 2008-_

Five weeks had past and the terror had subsided and the media attention finally began to dwindle. Dick was forced to stay in the hospital for two weeks straight and then another three weeks on bed rest. Kory stayed by his side the entire time, and took full credit for nursing him back to health. Raven handled the buiness side of things, and Wayne Enterprises was able to reopen it's doors one week after the incident. Raven was given a complimentary new office, and her old office was made into a utility closet. It was a windy day in early November when Dick finally got the okay to return to work. He was eternally grateful because if he had to sit through one more talk show or any other form of daytime television he was going shoot himself.

Kory never once brought up the subject of marriage after that night, but there was an inexplicable coldness about her. She didn't want to derail Dick's attention on getting better, but it really bothered her that he had said no. After everything that they'd had been able to overcome, even certain death, he still didn't want her. She knew without a doubt in her mind that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, why didn't he want the same thing?

Despite all that Kory dolled herself up and came to work early to surprise him. She joined Raven in her newly furnished office. "Did they have to give me the brightest office in building?" she immediately began to complain. Raven had been moody and irratable lately, probably due to having to take over the work load. Kory sat across from her and looked around.

"I kind of like it." she said non chalantly. Raven rolled her eyes. Kory put a brown paper bag on her desk. "You want a bagel, they gave me two by mistake."

"No, thanks I had a grapefruit for breakfast."

Raven had been very irritable lately. She refused to give Dick the satisfaction that she may not have been able to handle the intense work load. Speak of the devil, a very pleasant looking Dick casually strolled into Raven's new office. "Wow this room is really bright." Kory jumped up to give him a welcome back hug, but he quickly declined. "Nobody touch me. I'm sterile." he handed Kory a flyer that had been floating around the office since last week advising workers to get their flu shots. "Sorry Kor, but I got the flu last year and I vowed never again."

Raven sneezed. Dick pulled out a bottle of hand sanitizer and squeezed it into his palms. "Ew." she rolled her eyes.

"Dick, when you took a shower this morning did Old Spice shoot out of the shower heads?" she said rather bitingly.

He looked slightly offended. "I did not put on that much. Kory do I have too much cologne on?"

Kory shrugged indifferently and turned towards Dick. "How are you-"

He interupted her. "Please, don't ask. If one more person asks how I'm doing I think I'm going to claw out my own eyeballs. I wasn't the only one in that room. How are you guys? Raven, how are you holding up? I haven't seen to much of you lately. "

She picked her coffe mug off of her desk. "That's because I've been doing all of your work for the past five weeks. Oh, and that reminds me." she handed him a large stack of papers and files. "Welcome back."

He rolled his eyes, and began to scan through it. "Kory do you want to-"

"No." she answered curtly.

He sighed slightly annoyed. Maybe watching daytime television wasn't that bad. "Never mind, I can get this done by the end of the week. It looks like I have a lot of catching up to do. But before that Raven," he said directing himself to her. "I heard from a very reliable source that you Gar called it quits."

"Is that so?" she said half glaring at Kory who turned away innocently. "And just who is this reliable source?"

"The grapevine."

Raven was about to answer him with a snarky retort, but was stopped when low and behold Garfield was standing outside of her office canoddling with Terra. Shit. She had forgotten that his office was on the floor. After the break up Raven did what she always did to distract herself, work. Garfield on the other hand didn't seem that torn up about it at all. She had heard from various co working sources that in fact he had actually used the time to get closer to Terra. This, for no explainable reason, annoyed Raven. But she was over it. Or at least that's what she told herself everyday. She held her coffee mug up to her face, but didn't take a sip. She watched with half mast eyes as Garfield stood a ways from her office kissing Terra on the lips. It made her sick to see them. It made her absolutely sick.

Suddenly Raven leaned over, and grabbing the waste basket vomitted violently. She sat back up coughing slightly. They really did make her sick. "I'm sorry you had to see that." she told Dick and Kory who looked grossed out and horrified.

Dick stood up and his chair pushed back. "I knew it! I knew you have the flu!"

She rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me your going to get caught up in this season's mass hysteria. I've just been working too hard. I'll take a vitamin and double up on my fluid intake."

"Oh no, you won't. You'll go home right this minute, and won't return if you have so much as a tinkle in your throat."

Kory laughed. She couldn't help it. Dick was recovering from a gun shot wound, had forty pounds of work to catch up on, and there he was freaking out over what was probably a slight cold and too much work. Kory offered to take some charts off of Raven's hands, which she graciously accepted. Usually she wouldn't but there was way too much for her to do by herself and have finished by tomorrow afternoon. Raven leaned her head back and sighed.

Dick picked up his stack, and left for his office. "I should get started on this." he said hanging in the doorway. "Oh and Raven, I need you to review these reports for the interns. When will you have the decision on which intern will get to be my personal assistance?"

Dick had waiting for this for months. No more having to keep track of things himself. No more fetching his own coffee, setting reminders on his palm pilot, or making his own flight reservations. He'd have some post graduate doing the work for him, for little more than minimum wage. Raven took a sip of her coffee and scowled.

"Hopefully by tonight." she said dumping it into the waste basket.

Kory watched the spot where Dick had been for a long while after he had alreadly left. She sighed deeply. Raven glanced up at her from her computer. "I'm debating whether or not to ask what the hell is wrong with you."

Kory sighed tragically. "Nothing." even she didn't believe it.

Raven shrugged and continued typing. This was one of those times when not knowing or asking was just plain better. Kory sighed again trying get her attention. "Oh nothing." she said. "I just you know the usual. I have to do the reports on the resturant, and I've been seeing my therapist a lot more lately, I asked Dick to marry me and he said no, I think it's going to rain today-"

Raven almost choked on air. "What!"

"It's going to rain today?" Kory offered.

"No, before that."

"I've been seeing my therapist more often?"

"After that."

Kory was silent for a moment. "It's going to rain today?"

Now she was just being silly. Raven scoffed and shook her head. "You asked Dick to marry you! When? Where? How? Why? What?"

Kory began to twiddle her fingers. What would be the best way to explain this. "Well," she started slowly. "The- the night of the shooting I- I don't know what came over me. Maybe it was the heat of the moment, but there was a moment when all my thoughts about the future proved me wrong. I realized that you can't plan life, because is unex-"

"Yeah, yeah stitch it on a pillow sister, I want dirt." Raven cut in.

Kory rolled her eyes. "Anyways when we were at the hospital and I don't know it kind of slipped I guess."

Raven looked at her amazed. "Slipped? Kory, slips are confessing pet peeves when you're drunk. Were you drunk? I don't think so." she sighed. "Kory, I've known Dick for a very long time, so I know what I'm saying when I say it isn't easy for him to commit. You're probably not going to like what I'm about to say but, he used to be a notorious womanizer. Hearts broken before their heads hit the pillow. So, it's a huge step for him to stay monogomous to you. He obviously cares about you a great deal. You've come this far. Marriage might be pushing it. If I were in your position, and at this point I'm very glad I'm not, I wouldn't push the marriage issue too much. Listen leave it alone, and hopefully this problem will solve itself."

Kory was silent for a minute. "Yeah," she said rather sadly. "I guess you're right. I hope I didn't freak him out too much. We haven't actually brought it up since it happened, and I would tell him to forget I ever said anything but I suppose that would be counterproductive. In the mean time how can I move the attention away from this little...episode?"

"Well," Raven started. "When I have- had man troubles I found sex to be a very effective method of going on the defense. Or offense, it doesn't matter."

Kory suddenly snapped her fingers and leaned forward. "I've got it! I'll sneak into his apartment before he gets home tonight, and when he gets there I'll already be waiting for him. Naked."

That's not _really_ what Raven had, had in mind. "Kory that's not what I-"

"Thanks Raven you're a genious. Raven just shook her head as she watched Kory gallop off. She sighed. "That girl doesn't listen to me." she said to herself.

But then again it wouldn't be the first time.

* * *

"Raven?" Dick asked reentering her office much later in the day. The office officially closed two hours ago, but only the truly dedicated namely himself and Raven stayed later to get work done. He wasn't surprised to see the light emitting from the door as came down the hallway. He was surprised to see Raven with her head on her desk, asleep. He gently nudged her on the table. She was startled awake.

She took a moment to collect herself. "I fell asleep?"

"Uh, I'm sorry for waking you. I just wanted to know if you finished going over the intern portfolios." he said somewhat confused.

Raven looked at her watch and almost screamed. "Shit!" she said jumping up and wildly grabbing her jacket which was on the back of her chair. "I can't believe I fell asleep. The Stevens biography is due tomorrow. I have to go over those portfolios and- and-" she suddenly leaned over and wretched into the wastebasket.

Dick watched her as she fell into her chair, trying to catch her breath. "Raven, slow down you're making yourself sick. It's flu season you need to take care of yourself. Here let me take some of those portfolios."

"No." she said picking up a W.B Mason box full of heavy white portfolios, scooping up an armful of manilla envelopes, topping the large workload with a book on New York investors. "I'm their mentor. Dealing with the interns is my responsibility, and I'll deal with it. Besides you have enough on your plate as it is. Plus I'm not going to get the flu. Good night."

"Bye_._" he called after her.

Raven hastily wrapped a scarf around her neck, and tried to balance the pile as she moved down the empty hallway. It was a startlingly chilly November night. The garage was frigid and bitter. Raven was forced to walk to the far end towards her car. She dropped the box as she attempted to pull the keys out of her coat pocket. She popped the trunk, and dumped the box in her trunk. She got in the car and pulled out of the garage.

"Shit." she cursed at a red light. She forgot she recently ran out of sleeping pills. She thought about just picking up the prescription tomorrow, she had to stay up late working anyways. No. Begrudgingly she turned around at the next turn. Luckily for her, her presciptions were filled at a twenty-four hour pharmacy. It was late, she noted as she found a parking space. It was actually only shortly after ten, but she'd been working so hard lately. She yawned and slammed the car door shut. She slid through the vacant isles of the drug store to the back of the pharmacy. There was a little old lady filling a presciption. She got in back of her and waited impatiently. She glanced at her watch and tapped her foot more times than necessary.

Finally it was her turn. "Raven Roth." she said handing her the note. The pharmacist was an older woman, with dark blond hair almost mustard brown.

The the woman, nodded and went into the back. Raven waited until she returned. The woman silently handed her the full orange bottle. Raven paid for it an cash, and turned around to leave. She had gotten about half a foot before she realized there was a mistake. Good thing she made sure to the pills were right before leaving. One time they had accidentally given her someone's pain killers. What a trip that was. She returned to the counter, slightly annoyed.

"This isn't right." she told the pharmacist handing her the bottle. "I need Ambien, these are prenatal vitamins."

The woman looked at her oddly. "Yes." she said simply. Raven noted that she had somewhat of a gypsy look to her.

She looked at her blankly for a moment, trying to control her temper. "_So_ that's not right. I want the sleeping aids."

"No, no you can't haf sleeping aids." her Hungarian accent told her.

Another blank look. She didn't have time for this. Raven was contemplating getting the manager. Anything to speed up this little process. "Why not?"

"You can not take sleeping aids, when you are pregnant."

Raven almost laughed. Almost. That's what this little misunderstanding was about. "Look," she said leaning into the counter. "I'm not pregnant. I don't know why you think I am, but...Anyways now that we've- cleared that up can I just get the right pills and be on my way."

The woman gave her another strange look. "You are not pregnant? But you haf the glow. Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

The women took Raven's wrist and felt around as if feeling her pulse. She seemed to find something interesting and held her finger there. Apart from the few "um hum" sounds that she made. She was pretty much silent. Raven wanted to ask her what the hell she was doing. This was really getting ridiculous. There was no way she could be pregnant, and felt stupid for letting a complete stranger almost convince her otherwise. The throwing up, the fatigue, the back aches they were all because she was developing the flu. Besides her period wasn't late or missing. Or was it? It was late she couldn't think right now. Panick began to rise in her chest.

Or maybe it was just the flu.

* * *

Kory had been laying naked in Dick's bed for over an hour. He wasn't late coming home or anything, he just wasn't there. At the office no doubt. Working too much already. If all went according to plan it would be the first time that they made love since getting back together. It had been an excrutiating five months. His silk sheets felt rather cold against her skin. It was practically winter, he needed new bedding. She kept her mind on the objective: seducing Dick.

In all honesty she couldn't wait to make love to him. Oh, silly girl! How stupid she had been. Marriage. The mere idea was laughable now. What was marriage besides a joint bank account and a certificate? They were practically married already. Sure they didn't live together, and her last name wasn't Grayson, and they weren't recognized as a couple under a Christian (or any other) god or the state of New York. So what? She should just count her blessings that she didn't end up like Garfield and Raven. She sympathized with Raven. She made a mental note to ride Gar about that later.

No. She didn't need to marry Dick. They shared their hearts and souls. They knew all of each others deepest darkest secrets. There was nothing between them anymore. Right? Of course there wasn't. So why did she even bring up the subject of marriage? A brief lapse of judgement perhaps? Temporary insanity maybe? Just plain stupidity. What did she expect from marriage? A suburban mom and dad life. They'd live in a large penthouse and raise a few kids. They'd live a fairytale life. A doll house life like she had imagined when she was a little girl. She never had a dollhouse.

He would love and chesire her now and here after. She loved him and loved her and that was enough. Right?

No.

It wasn't. Tangled in the silk sheets of Dick's king sized bed Kory had an epiphany. It wasn't enough. Love wasn't always enough, certainly not this far in their relationship. There were so many things she wanted in life, that they had never discussed. She wanted lots of kids. Did he? She wasn't sure. Her mind raced back to the conversation that they had certainly had. They must have. She began to wonder, if Dick wanted kids. Would he even make a good father.

God she felt so stupid. Here she was trying to please him, again. Here she was apologizing to him, again. And for what? Being honest with him? Wanting to be with him for the rest of her life? _Sorry I've been bugging you with my annoying and obsessive habit of loving you unconditionally. _It was at that moment that Kory realized she was always the one trying to make the progress in the relationship. He was perfectly content with the relationship that they had now, and didn't seem to care if she was. Maybe she wanted to move on. Maybe she wanted other things. Did he care? She doubted it. She tip toed around his feeling afraid that everytime she wanted to further the relationship he would push her further away. If Dick really wanted her he was going to have to prove it. He was going to have to try a lot harder.

Kory silently slid off of his bed, and pulled on the rest of her clothes. She left Dick's apartment without another word, with no real intentions of coming back soon.

Next time he had to show up at her place naked.

* * *

Kory was right it had rained.

Raven had decided to humor the pharmacist and buy a pregnancy test. It was going to come back negative. It was. She was sure. She drove in part of daze, her mind kept wondering back to what she would do if she were pregnant. She couldn't be someone's mother. She promised herself when she was twelve years old that she would never have kids. Her mother always told her that once she was older she would change her mind. Nope. Here she was more than fourteen years later, and she felt more strongly about it than ever. But what was she worrying about. She was not pregnant.

She quickly forgot about all the work she had to do tonight, leaving her box of work in her car trunk. She almost ran back to her apartment and into the bathroom to take the test. She had to wait four minutes for a result. She didn't remember too much about it, except that it was the longest four minutes of her entire life. So long, in fact, that she had to leave the room. She couldn't bare to wait in the bathroom. She decided to leave the room, and maybe...she didn't know boil a pot of tea or read a magazine. Do something, anything, to proccupy her mind. And then the test would be there waiting for her with an answer. She actually could go into the bathroom and read the test right now.

Actually she could have read it an hour ago.

She didn't know what was holding her back. Fear maybe. Fear that it was positive. Fear that she'd have to become someone's mother. No, that wouldn't happen because she was not pregnant. She was overworked and stressed out. It could happen. It could. There was just no way she could be having a baby. She had a life, a complicated life and responsibilities. None of which involved caring for a child. Her child with Gar. Oh no. She hadn't thought about Garfield and how much he complicated the situation. Would he be happy that she was having his baby? She shook away the thought. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Take it one step at a time. The first step was getting into the bathroom.

Raven had been sitting on the window sill, huddled under a large black sweater and watching the rain against the window. She willed herself to move, put she couldn't actually bring herself to do it. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She cleared her throat and rubbed it, in attempts to calm herself. She took a deep breath before moving off of the window sill. She slowly, ever so slowly, moved back into the bathroom. She froze in the doorway. There it was the little white stick that held the answer to her future. What was she afraid of now. This was silly. She convinced herself. She was being silly. Raven took the rip-the-band aid- off route and before she could punk out of it marched over to the test and picked it up. She closed her eyes tight, and took a deep breath before reopening them.

Oh.  
My.  
God.

Raven didn't scream. She didn't hyperventilate. She didn't even curse. She just stared silently. She wildly grabbed the instructions that were sitting on the counter. She held them up to her eyes, and compared the instructions to the test. Positive meant she was pregnant. The test was undeniable positive. She was pregnant.

Her legs could no longer support her. She pretty much fell into her bedroom sitting on the edge of her bed, her eyes never left the test. She just stared. No thoughts passed her mind just that she was pregnant. An hour and a half passed and she finally let the test fell onto the carpeted ground. She ran back into a bathroom and pulled open another test. This time she waited in the bathroom. She paced and tapped her foot very impatiently. Another four minutes passed, another positive. No! This couldn't be true. She couldn't even remember the last time she had sex.

Raven dashed into the kitchen and grabbed her pocketbook off of the kitchen island. She fell onto her knees and madly dumped all of the contents of her purse onto the floor. Loose change, packets of splenda, and a tampon rolled out. She found what she was looking for. She picked up her day planner and quickly began to flip through the pages until she landed on the calender for October. She always marked the start of her period with a sharpie. October was empty. She flipped back to September and there it was right before her birthday. She flipped back to October. The second had been the day of the shooting, and that was five weeks ago. She gasped. She did have sex that morning. But they had used protection. Didn't they? She picked up her pack of morning after pills. Traitor. In a moment of anger she threw them against the wall. She realized that in the course of events that took place that night she had forgotten to take them the next morning.

She stood up and ran her finger through her hair. She was really panicking now. What was she going to do? All her plans would be destroyed. She'd have to leave Wayne Enterprises and she could forget about her law firm. She would have to raise it. Who was she kidding, she didn't even have enough time go through a few portfolios let alone raise a child. She couldn't afford to have a baby. Could she? She couldn't think. She needed to talk to someone.

Raven picked up the phone and was half way through her mother's number, before she decided against it and hung up. Kory wouldn't understand. Dick definately wouldn't understand. That left Gar. Gar. She almost forgot about him. She wouldn't have to raise it alone. Gar would help her. Or whatever she decided to do with it. But how? His life was complicated. He was married (to a stripper). They didn't even speak anymore, and a baby would make things even more complicated. Her head hurt. She had to tell him now, if she didn't she would go insane. It was past midnight. Terra was was "working" right now, it was the perfect oppurtunity to talk to him alone.

She grabbed her coat and ran out the door. There was no time to waste. She hopped in her car, and drove straight to Gar's place in Midtown. She parked in a space that had a sign that read: no parking after ten, but this was an emergency. She fell out of her car and fast paced to his apartment. Daniel, the doorman who recognized her by face and name, greeted her pleasantly. She mumbled in response. After what felt like forever she arrived at his door. Her heart was still thumping. Adrenaline pumped through her.

Garfield appeared at the door. He looked confused. "Raven...what?" he mumbled half asleep.

Suddenly she couldn't remember why she came here. She never thought about what she would say to him. She stared at him for a moment. "C- can I come in?" her voice was trembling and her hands were shaking. "It's important."

He stared at her blankly and pushed open the door. "Sure." he rubbed his eyes trying to wake himself up.

She stepped inside. It was a lot cleaner than usual. Terra she expected. She moved into the living room. She was brought back to her first ballet performance and couple months shy of her fourth brithday. Even then she hadn't been this nervous. She clasped her left hand in her right in attempts to lessen the shaking. "Is Terra here?" she asked innocently. She really needed to do this in private.

"No, she's out." he said slightly irratable. He rubbed the back of his head. "Raven, what's all this about? You said it was an emergency."

She cleared her throat and opened her mouth to speak. Words refused to come out. She could hear her breath shaking inside her throat. She stepped forward. "Gar, I've- I've been thinking. You know about us. And well- maybe, maybe we ended things too quickly. It all happened so fast, I- I was confused and I wasn't thinking. We can-"

Garfield scoffed. "Really? C'mon Raven. I finally started to figure things out. Things aren't complicated anymore and now you want to work things out."

She sighed. "Gar." she couldn't come right out and say it. "Please give me a second chance. We-we can work this out. We can. We can make it work. I'll do anything, I promise I won't be complicated anymore." she grabbed his hand. "Please." it came out as a whisper.

He yanked his hand away. "God Raven!" he turned around, and then back to face her. "What! What do you want! What do you want me to say?!"

She came over to him and stared into his eyes, her small hands on his shoulders. "Tell me you love me." her voice was so unlike her own. So desperate and scared.

"Rae." his voice was decided and definate. She looked into his eyes pleading. She leaned in to kiss him, but he pulled away. "Rae." she tried again, but no go. He grabbed her wrist with such force that she gasped. For a moment she was scared of him.

"You're hurting me." she said in a scared breathless whisper.

"This has to stop. It's over." he said harshly letting go of her wrist, pushing her back slightly. She was silent. Her heart literally hurt. They stood in silence. There was nothing between them anymore. It really was over. A week ago she could have accepted that and taken her dignity and self respect. Things were different now. She couldn't look at him.

"I'm pregnant." she told him quietly.

His head snapped up, but she didn't look at him. She watched her in shock. For countless heartbeats no one said anything. "I-" he started slowly. "I think you should leave."

This time her head snapped up. She couldn't believe it. Any of it. She couldn't belive that she was having his baby. She couldn't believe that he was rejecting her and it. Their child. She couldn't believe she had ever been in love with him. Most of all she couldn't believe that at this moment, no matter how much she wanted to, she didn't hate him. She loved him. She looked at him the sadness in her eyes, and didn't move for a moment. Finally she slid silently out the door.

She was, once again, alone.

* * *

Hey two updates in one week, I haven't done that is awhile. All the reviews really made my summer so thank you all for that. I wrote basically this whole chapter in one night, but don't expect it too often because I have 10-16 pages of notes to complete, a ten page essay, and I have to study for driver's permit. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind is taking longer than I expected to write so I'll try to get that plus at least one more chapter of South Pole up before I have to go back to school. I warn you the next chapter of two will be more Raven centric than Kory and Dick.


	19. Losing My Religion

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans

* * *

_-"Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend." How to Save a Life, The Fray, 2005-_

It was the prenatal sonogram that did it for Raven.

It was a chilly drizzling day in November. She had been fully convinced that the pregnancy test she had taken a week ago was a false positive. She was stressed out, all the work , the emotional turmoil she had refused to admit, a missed period. It could happen, but it was silly of her to assume it was because she was pregnant. Still she hadn't been to work all week, but she couldn't work (or function for that matter) properly with so much on her mind. She'd planned to relax for a few days take some things off of her mind. Focusing on anything other than the denial was almost impossible. She couldn't keep track of the plots of her books, she zoned in and out of televison programs, and movies suddenly didn't make any sense.

She resorted back to something she hadn't done in so long, sketch. Many papers ended up balled up on the floor. For some reason they all looked the same to her. Evenutally she ran out of paper. It was no problem, the art supply store was a block away she would run out and buy a couple more sketch books and be back in ten minutes. She made it to the store and back. She didn't remember what happened after that. A patch of slick ice, running kids. The next thing she knew she was laying on her back looking at the sky. Her doorman, Bill, rushed over to her and helped her to her feet, muttering something about "damned kids". After ensuring him that she was fine and by no means needed an ambulance, her gathered her things and rushed into the depths of her apartment.

A half an hour later she was sitting in her cast iron bathtub, letting the hot water pour in. _Colour the Small one _was currently playing the background, _Breathe Me _was the selection. Raven was staring blankly at the wall. Well she wasn't staring so much as she was pondering. That's when she felt it, the cramping. It was dulled at first barely even noticable, but then it increased to intense hurt so bad she couldn't bring herself to even climb out of the tub, plus she didn't want to risk falling again. She wrapped her arms around her waist and squeezed her eyes shut, and waited for the pain to subside. As quickly as it began it had ended.

Her mind began to race. Oh my God, she killed it! When she fell she must've hurt it or something. No, that was crazy she wasn't far along at all, there was no way that little fall could've induced a miscarriage. Could it? No, she promised herself. Later that night she laid awake. Sleep had been escaping her lately. In the past week she had been barely able to get more than two or three hours of sleep a night. Her body would be tired and rest but her mind refused to shut off. Tonight was no exception, in fact it was worse. her mind kept going back to the cramping. She wondered if she had lost the baby. Why did she even care? It wasn't like she wanted it or anything. Still she had to know, her mind refused to let her ignore it.

There she was waiting in the gynecologist office, wedged between two very pregnant woman. One woman looked like she was fully dialated. Raven also hated going there. It was in her opinion, gross. Finally she was called in. She told her the basis of the situation to Dr. Gloria Reese. The doctor told her not to worry that cramping was normal in early pregnancy, but they'd do an ultra sound just to make sure.

Raven thought it was pointless, she wasn't pregnant. It was even more pointless and a little crazy that she was even there. She set up the sonogram machine. "There we go." Dr. Reese said pointing out a tiny, dark, peanut shaped thing in her uterus.

Raven sat up on her elbows. "What the hell is that?"

Dr. Reese laughed. "That is your baby, and so far everything looks perfect."

That was over a week ago. The printed picture of the peanut baby had been banished into the depths of her nightstand. For some compulsive reason she avoided going into that drawer for any reason. Reality was beginning to set in. She was having a baby whether she wanted to or not. Raven had tried to call Garfield several times right after she had the ultrasound. She completely forgot about his rejection, and some small joy inside her wanted to show him the picture of the seed of their baby. He completely ignored her. Raven realized that there was no possible way that her baby could live a doll house life with a mommy and a daddy who loved it. Then the depression set in. It took over, and she couldn't escape it. Her mind was set on what she was going to do.

At this point only one thing was sure: whatever she did decide to do, she would do it alone.

* * *

Raven hadn't been to work in two weeks. She called the first day and said she had to flu. Dick accepted this excuse for the first week, but the second week it was becoming less believable. He didn't mind Raven spend some time away from work, but he was also getting worried. In his recollection Raven never got sick. Up until two weeks ago, he didn't even think she had the ability to get sick. She would call everyday to say she wouldn't be in, but her voice was hallow and empty. She hadn't called for the last four days. Dick needed to remind himself the although Raven was a sister to him, she was a grown adult and was capable in taking care of himself. That was the only thing keeping him from knocking down her front door. That in fact that he didn't want risk getting contaminated.

He was currently sitting with Kory for lunch at Nobu. She remained oddly and unusually silent. She didn't eat much she just kind of picked at her beef toban yaki. Her increasing coldness had not gone unnoticed by Dick, and he was unsure whether or not to be alarmed. Every time he wanted to make a date with her, she was too busy. When he tried to talk to her she would say they would talk later, which they never did. He sighed. Eggplant with miso was his favorite, but it was impossible to enjoy knowing Kory was upset with him and he had no idea why. It was frustrating. He had enough to worry about without Kory playing mind games with him.

"So," he started looking up at her. "Bruce wants me to go the manor for Christmas, to meet his girlfriend. I actually think he's serious about this one. I was hoping you would come with. Bruce adores you, and if I have to fratinize with his business bodies the entire time I think I'll go mental. Wayne Manor is always done up for the holidays. It's really a sight to be held."

"Is that so." Kory said not looking at him and picking at her meal.

He arched an eyebrow. He thought Kory would jump at the opputunity to spend the holidays with him and his family. Garfield was taking Terra on a belated honeymoon to the Seychelles. Raven-well he didn't know what Raven was doing for the holidays, but he hardly expected her to spend it with Kory.

He tried again. "Yeah Bruce buys toys for the kids at the orphanage and on Christmas eve they come to open them. So," she looked up at him. "will you go with me?"

"No, I have other plans." she said simply, and went back to poking her dish.

He stared at her increible, he felt anger begin to rise in his throat. How could she just blow him off like that? It was like she didn't care about him. Dick knew Kory had been behaving strangely but if she were mad at him for any reason she should tell him. He wasn't in the mood for her guessing games. His look was harsh. He contiuned to stare into her. "How can you other plans? I'm telling you this a month in advanced. Kory, are we okay?"

She looked up at him. Her eyes said they definately were not okay. "Are. We. Okay?" her tone was mocking. "You know what Dick we're not okay as a matter of fact."

"Well, if something's not right please feel free to elaborate." his voice was bitter.

She scoffed. "Nothing." she said lowly shaking her head.

"No really I want to know."

This was a crucial moment for Kory. She needed to decide whether or not to bring it up. She resisted thus far, but maybe Raven was wrong. She couldn't put her feelings on the back burner any longer, just because it made Dick uncomfortable. She wanted- No she _needed _to know that they had a future together and that they weren't just wasting time. She knew she that she wanted him now and forver, and if he didn't feel the same way she wanted out before it was too late. She was positive of it. Sure it would be unbearably painful at first, but she'd move on. She always did. She had fallen too many times not to know how to pick herself back up.

She took a deep breath. "Why won't you marry me?" it came out rushed. "I mean- don't you want to marry me?"

He looked at her, but didn't answer immediately. "Is that what this is about?" he said finally.

"Well I know I want to marry you. I love you. But that doesn't seem to be enough for you. I think I've proven myself time and time again. So please I really have to know what it is your waiting for."

He sighed. "Kory it's not you-"

"Oh please Dick, don't say it's not you it's me. That's bullshit."

"Well, what do you want me to say?" he couldn't help his voice from rising.

"The truth would be nice."

He was silent. He didn't look at her. She waited for him...again. Kory scoffed and stood up. She threw the napkin that was sitting in her lap and tossed it onto the table.

"Nevermind." she said storming away. Dick wanted to go after her. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to say the words he had never said to anyone wanted to her the real reason he couldn't marry her yet. To tell her he just wasn't ready. He wanted to tell her.

But then again he wanted a lot of things.

* * *

Dick needed to talk to someone pronto. He was so confused. He loved Kory, he did. He just didn't feel a psycological need to marry her. It was times like this when he wished the person who raised him wasn't a fifty year old casanova. Finally he just decided to risk contamination and go to Raven's place. She usually had something insightful to say, and besides that he thought she could use some cheering up herself. He tightly wrapped his scarf around his neck, and stepped into the chilly November air. Snowflakes gently drifted onto the sidewalk. Luckily for him Raven's place wasn't far away, just a short eight minute can ride. He hopped out and waved to Bill, who knew him my name. Dick rubbed his chilled hands together when he was inside the elevator.

He knocked three times on Raven's door. No answer. He sighed and reached his hand above the door frame and felt around for the spare key. He quickly located it and turned it into the keyhole. He pushed open the door and shivered. It was unreasonably cold on the inside. He turned up the thermostat sitting next to the door on the wall. He had never seen Raven's apartment in such condition. Whether it were her childhood bedroom or office space she was usually so meticulous. Half drunken cups of coffee were sitting in hoards on the living room and kitchen table. The really unsual thing was the sketch book paper balled up and tossed onto the floor by the hundreds. They covered the living room couch, table, and floor. The trail lead down the hallway. A few acceptable portraits were tacked and taped carelessly to the hallway walls. Each one resembled Garfield.

Dick sighed helplessly and followed the paper trail to Raven's bedroom. The door was locked. He knocked gently. "Raven?"

The only sound was the faint sound of music playing in the background. Dick slowly pushed open the door and stuck his head in. Raven was laying asleep on her bed. More papers littered the floor and her bed. Dick pushed the door open. He tip toed over to the music docking station and switched off the music. He wondered if he should wake her. He was there after all, but Raven was a troubled sleeper and he would just hate to wake. He would see if she were okay and then let her get to sleep. He kneeled besides Raven's bed and gentley nudged her awake. She slowly opened her eyes.

"Hey." he said quietly. "How long were you asleep for?"

Raven leaned up and glanced at the clock. "Ten minutes." her voice came out kind of hoarse and quiet. Raven stretched her arms and sat up. She looked terrible. There were dark circles extending underneath her eye, and her disshelved hair was longer than usual. Her skin was shockingly pale, even for her. Dick knew something was wrong and it wasn't the flu. He'd known Raven pretty much his entire life and he knew when something was wrong. Like the time when she ten and her father was awarded primary custody of her. She hadn't uttered a word in a week. He knew something was there for her then and he intended on being there for her now. First he had to figure out what was wrong with her, which would be a chore.

"Raven," he started slowly. "Are you okay?"

She looked somewhere past him. She wasn't okay. She wasn't okay at all, but she couldn't just come right out in tell Dick. Instead she said nothing. Dick sighed. "Is this about Gar?" he asked.

She was, at first, silent then she just shook her head. "Not really."

Oh he felt so guilty. Here he had rushed over to spill his problems to Raven, and he was unable to see she was having much bigger ones. He stay for awhile at least until he knew what was wrong. That could take all day. "I'll be right back." he told her and exited the room.

He made a brief phone call to the office to inform them that he might not be returning that afternoon, he returned to Raven's room. The sight was shicking. She was sitting on the edge of her bed with her pistol in her hand. Dick's stomach lurched. She opened the clip and emptied the barrel, letting the small gold bullets fall into her then closed the gun and threw it into her nightstand.

"Could you take these?" she said not looking at Dick, but holding her hand out to him.

He slowly made his way back over to the bed, and took all the bullets from her. "Raven," his voice was a shocked whisper. "What's going on with you? This is serious, why would you even think something like this." his voice was startled, concerned, and angry all at once. Raven wasn't the type of girl to do something so desperate over a boy. He waited for her to respond. She opened her mouth to say something, but instead she bolted up and threw the bathroom door open. She didn't even bother to turn the lights on. Dick could hear her vomitting from the bedroom. He slowly got up and moved into the bathroom. He flicked on the light and kneeled beside Raven, who was leaning over the toilet tossing her cookies. He pulled her hair back for her, something he hadn't done since high school.

Raven sat back and took a deep breath. She reached up and flushed the content of the toilet. Dick rubbed her back soothingly. It was silent for a long moment. "Are you pregnant?" Dick asked finally.

Raven didn't answer him, she didn't even look at him. "I-" she struggled to find the words. "I don't want to cry. I really don't. I won't do it." she wasn't make too much sense. Her voice sounded hurt and quizzical.

"Does Garfield know? Did you tell him?" he asked.

She shook her head. "He doesn't want it. He won't return any of my phone calls and he won't see me. He won't-" her voice trailed off.

Dick was so worried about his friend. He'd never seen her like this. The first thing he wanted to do was march over Gar's place and deliver his knee into his groin. Raven was first and fore most his sister. She and Kory were his extended family. He felt horrible there was nothing he could do for her, and that really pissed him off. He was suppose to be able to save the people he loved and lately he'd been doing a terrible job of it. Kory was mad at him, Raven was one Eric Clapton ballad away from an emotional meltdown, and Garfield had somehow transfrerred into a tool.

"How far along are you?"

"Seven weeks. It's not fair." Raven said. Dick was silent. He tried to comfort her the best way he could without words. Not that it would've matter, he had no idea what to tell. Everything would be okay? He just needed time? She had heard it all before. In his heart he wasn't sure of anything. He said the only thing he could think of for the moment.

"Yeah," he said. "It sucks."

Her voice quivered as if she were going to cry. "I- I keep having these- these daydreams I guess about killing myself. I see myself doing things, horrible things like hanging myself or throwing myself out of the window. Then I have these moments when I black out and I don't know if I'm having daydream or not. Yesterday I was in the bath and I blacked out. I had a vision of slitting my wrists, and when I came to I was holding a razor blade to my wrist. I- I just want it to end."

"The suicidal thoughts or your life?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know anymore."

Raven and Dick's back were now pressed against the side of the bathtub, and they were sitting on the floor. "Not sleeping well I presume."

She sighed. "No, not at all. I can't sleep at all. If I'm lucky I get like three or four hours of sleep at night. My body is tired but my mind won't shut off. I keep worrying about-" her throat refused the word. "everything. It's the only thing I think about."

Dick turned to Raven. "Raven, I think you may have prenatal depression."

She sighed. "Yeah, that's just what I need: another fucking mental disorder." she turned to him as well. "I have no idea what to do. Dick, I'm...scared." her voiced was hushed.

Dick pulled her into embrace and pressed her against his chest. "I know you are." she said into her hair. "That really sucks."

* * *

Kory was very unsure, at the moment, if Dick and her had a real future together. He acted like her marriage proposal never happened. Was he afraid? Afraid of what though? Comittment? As far as she knew he had been totally comitted and faithful in their relationship. He had gotten over his fear of mental intimacy awhile ago. It felt like everytime they took steps to knocks those damned walls down, bam he built two more of them. Kory didn't understand it at all. Sure maybe they were a bit too young for the whole settling down thing, but when you find the right person nothing else mattered right? Besides he'd done the whole party thing, he'd seen the world, and at the age of twenty-five he more of a career than most men twice his age. What the hell was he waiting for?

She thought about this at day and night. She was currently sitting in front of the television zoning in and out. She didn't remember changing the station to some cooking show, but appearantly she had been watching it for over a half an hour. Kory sighed dejectedly. There was a solution to the whole Dick problem but it was risky and drastic, she would have to do it. She was going to-

The doorbell rang unexpectedly. Kory turned the tv off and gracefully moved to the front door. It was probably Dick coming to apologize. She was surprised to see Raven standing in her doorway. Her originally scowl laced face softened. She wasn't sure if Raven had actually ever been to her place. In fact she didn't even know that Raven knew where she lived. The first thing she noticed about Raven was that she looked terrible. Her usual pencil skirt and pressed blouse, where replaced with jeans and and oversized sweatshirt. Her eyes were swollen indicating she hadn't slept in awhile. Plus it was a little late for her to be stopping by so casually.

"Raven." her voice was a startled whisper. "Are you alright? What are you-"

"I'm having a baby." she said quickly and quietly, her eyes were directed towards the floor.

Kory was temporarily stunned by the news. Raven didn't seem like the nurturing type. She was so business minded and serious about her career and what not. Raven had never, ever mentioned anything about ever wanting children so it was more than fair to assume that she simply didn't want any kids.

"Oh," Kory said suprised recovering from her initial shock. "That's great con-"

"I'm getting rid of it." she told her. Kory had never smiled but she was sure her frown had deepened. Raven's head moved up to look at her. What shone in her eyes were sadness, desperation, and the closet thing that Raven had to tears. Whatever that was. Kory's heart broke for her. Raven cleared her throat. "I'm getting rid of it, and they ask you if there is someone to go with you, in case you need support and whatever." she sighed her breath was shaking. "I need someone to go with me, could you..."

Kory felt a neverending chain of sympathy for Raven. She was alone and desperate, but that didn't mean she agreed with her choice. "Raven, I don't-"

"Please." she said sadly. "I just need someone to be there for me."

Kory breath hitched in her throat. She pulled Raven into an unresponded hug. "Of course I will."

Raven remained completely stiff in her arms. "Thank you."she said quietly. They were then latched into uncomfortable silence. Raven turned and walked back toward the elevator. Kory stormed back into her apartment and grabbed her car keys and cell phone out of the key bowl sitting on the small chest in the front hall. She threw on a coat and began to run toward the elevator, punching in Dick's number. The elevator doors closed as she began to twitch with anticipation as the phone rang.

"Hello?" finally came Dick's voice.

"Oh thank God, I got you. Raven just told me she was pregnant." she said running out of her building. She looked around for where she parked her car in the back of the building. She slid on some ice and fumbled with the keys. She pulled herself into the driver's seat and started up the engine. "Dick, did you hear me?"

She heard him sigh. "Yeah, I know." his voice sounded dejected.

Kory pulled out of the parking lot and onto the busy New York street. "Well, did you know she's getting an abortion?" his silence answered her. She heard the phone clank to the ground and some rustling. "She's in no mental condition to make that kind of decision. Dick you should have seen her, she looked so not her. It was horrible. She's only doing it because Garfield is being a total ass hole right now."

Dick sighed on the other end. "Kory, I- I don't think we can just change her mind like that."

"Dick!"

"I know and I don't like it either, but I mean what are we going to do, tie her up until the second trimester? Kory, I feel horrible about the situation, but think of the pyscological state she's in." he tried to reason with her, unsucessfully at best. Kory was becoming angry. Were all men stupid. She sucked her teeth, and sped up to avoid running through a red light.

"I am. And I don't know about you, but I'm not going to let her make a decision that she'll regret for the rest of her life. Nevermind." she growled before hanging up. She had one last hope. Kory drove to Gar's house so quickly she almost gained a speeding ticket, that she had to flirt her way out of. She pulled into the nearest parking space, stomped through the lobby into the elevator and down the hall to Garfield's door.

She knocked rapidly until he opened the door. She didn't wait for him to invite her in. She just pushed past him. Garfield closed the door with a very dumbstruck expression plastered on his face. Kory crossed her arms over her chest, the fire in her eyes were evident. "Garfield what the hell is wrong with you."

He turned around still completely lost. "Hello to you too." he said sarcastically.

"Gar, I've known you for a long, long time. You are my closet friend, so it's not too often that I feel ashamed to be associated with you, but now is definately one of those ultra microscopic, particuairly rare moments when I regret ever meeting." she told him hotly.

He scowled. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Raven, baby." she pronounciated the words. Gar's face softened. "Yeah, I know and I'm repulsed by you. You're acting like some sort of hormonally charged teenage boy. I could you do that to her? Do you have any idea, just any idea how fucked up she is about the whole thing? It's disgusting and you need to go over there and talk to her."

Garfield scoffed annoyed. "Well, quiet frankly I don't think this is any of your business. Raven is a big girl, she can handle herself. How dare you come in here and judge me. Raven, broke up with me. She ended it between us. She's the one who broke my heart not the other way around."

Kory took a step toward him,but he took a step back. "So that's this about. This isn't about you being scared or not ready, this about you being selfish and your petty revenge. She hurt you and now it's pay back time. Is that it?"

Gar didn't answer her. She scoffed and turned her back to him. "You disgust me." she told him.

He watched Kory as she yanked the front door open and slammed it behind her. He fell onto floor, his head in his hands. Kory was wrong about him trying to hurt Raven on purpose. He did care about her. He did. He was just scared and not ready, he just needed more time. No, he wasn't trying to hurt her.

Not on purpose anyways.

* * *

The next day Kory accompanied Raven to the downtown clinic. Despite the hard plastic chairs and wrinkled old magazine, there was the air funeral about the place. Kory arrived at Raven's house early in morning. They had yet to utter a word to each other. There was nothing left to say. Raven was in turmoil and Kory just wanted her to know someone cared about her. Someone was on her side supporting her. So she ignored her inclinations and sat silently in the clinic across from a crying girl, who could've been out of high school. It smelled strongly like hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap. It was like some sort creepy doctor's office only quieter and much more grim.

Raven remained completely stoic. After about an hour of waiting a nurse tapped Raven on the shoulder to tell her the doctor was ready for her. Raven jumped at the touch. She turned her head and slowly stood up. Kory stood up with her. She gently placed her hands on Raven's shoulder. "Raven, I just want you to know that whatever you do I'm here for you. There's nothing that you will ever regret about keeping this baby, but you may regret this."

Suddenly the crying girl bolted up crying hysterically, and ran out the front door. Raven looked at Kory helplessly as the nurse ushered into the backroom, which had a sign that read: Sterile do not enter. Kory sighed and fell into the chair. Her head fell into her hands. Time slowed significantly after that. Kory was becoming fidgeting and anxious. Kory got up once to ask the receptionist how long she thought they would be. She wordlessly handed her a pamphlet. According to that the actual procedure would take literally five minutes to do, and then another hour for recovery. A passing nurse told Kory that it the time it took for the doctor to answer all of Raven's questions would also take some time, but they'd let Kory see her in recovery.

Kory avoided the stack of pamphlets describing how the procedure was performed. She kept her glaze on the floor. After about forty minutes she dared to look at the clock, only five minutes had passed. Kory sighed. Well that was it, she supposed, it was over now. Raven emerged several minutes later looking very pale. Kory jumped up when she saw her. "Raven, are you okay?" she asked concerned.

"Can we go?" Raven said distracted.

Kory nodded sadly and they quickly exited the clinic. Raven acted like she couldn't stand being in that place one more second. It was bitter and cold outside. Kory followed her down the block. Kory decided not to say anything. When she was ready to open up she would. Raven and Kory crossed into Central Park and sat on a bench across from a playground. Raven stared at the children doing various playground activaties like swining from the monkey bars and chasing each other. One particuarily defiant boy pushed a little girl off of the swings. Kory's glaze shifted between Raven and the kids.

"I didn't do it." Raven told her keeping her glaze on the kids. Kory's eyes snapped towards her. "The whole time she was explaining everything to me I just kept thinking about what it would look like and what kind of person it would turn out to be. Plus I kept hearing your voice saying I'd never regret having it."

A small smile crept across Kory's face. Raven turned to her. "Thanks." she said. "For everything."

"No problem." she told her. "No problem at all.

* * *

A few things I was not trying to make the case for either pro life or pro choice. It is what it is, and I'm sure everyone has an opinion about it and that's great but that not what this is about so no offense but keep the reviews on the plot please, thank you, and much appreciated. Another thing the confrontation between Kory and Gar got cut short because the page expired and deleted like half of the scene so there was like no way I could remember everything I wrote. Finally cross country is in full swing for the next month or so,but I'll try.


	20. When Did Your Heart Go Missing?

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans

* * *

__________________________________-"Lo__ve is not a victory march. It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah." Hallelujah, Jeff Buckley 1994-________________________________________

Raven stared at the e mail. The little black cursor had been blinking at her for over a half an hour. Raven sighed and deleted the e mail clicking out of the web page. She changed to the American Airlines website to confirm her flight. If she were going to her mother that she was becoming a grandmother in an e mail, there would be no point in her flying all the way out to Santa -Barbara for Christmas break. Angela had been-surprised to hear that she was finally making the trip out there.

Countless vacations had gone by in which Raven had "too much work" to go far from the office, but this was something that had to be done in person. It had been awhile since she'd seen her mom. Besides that it would be beneficial for her to get away from the city even if it was just for four days. The worst of the depression had subsided after four weeks of extensive therapy, she even went back to work three weeks ago.

She removed herself from the computer screen and stood in front of the floor length mirror, in her bedroom. Not even three months along and she had already gained four pounds. Yesterday she had noticed something that had since thoroughly obtained her mind. There was a tiny, barely noticeable bump. It was so small in fact it couldn't really be called a bump, more like a curve that you had to stare at closely and for a long time to even notice. That was enough to make Raven rethink her entire wardrobe, and only packed loose fitting tops and waist length sweaters. Even if she didn't really look pregnant, she most certainly felt pregnant. All the usual symptoms had started, but morning sickness had been particularly unkind. She was beginning to wonder why the called in morning sickness instead of morning, noon, and night sickness.

She wanted nothing more than to stay home and read a book, but alas there were more important things at task. As the curve under her shirt proved things were moving quickly for her, she was almost three months along now. Raven sighed as she began to make her daily trek around her apartment. More so than ever she would mindlessly travel around her limited space and scoff at how inappropriate her house was for a baby. She supposed she could sacrifice her painting room for a nursery.

The alarm clock woke her up for her sixty-thirty flight some time around three in the morning. She had given a good amount of cash to some of those jingling war veterans who heckle people for money around the holidays. Lines were a nightmare, and having long since weened herself off of caffeine Raven was in no mood to put up with the holiday crowd of the airport. The security line took some ungodly amount of time, and her carry on bag had to be emptied and searched for some reason beyond her understanding. Just as luck had it she was chosen for special screening, which after she was done gave her a staggering three minutes to ran halfway across the airport just to make her flight, which in turned had been delayed for an hour and a half due to strong head winds.

Conditions didn't improve much when the plane finally took off. Raven had never experienced such severe turbulence on a flight before. This triggered extreme motion sickness and it just so happened some jerk was monopolizing the restroom, and by the time they got out the fasten seat belt sign had been turned on, and she had been reduced to vomiting in a barf bag. So let's just say Raven was extremely thankful when they finally reached Los Angeles.

She wasn't surprised to see her mother, waiting at the end of the terminal. Angela remained very calm and slightly stoic.

"Hi mom." Raven allowed her bags to drop to the ground. They were trapped in awkward silence, neither really knew what to do. They weren't the affectionate type of family so hugging seemed out of the question. They limboed in a stiff, and awkward hug for a very brief five to ten seconds.

Angela was Raven in about twenty years. The same piles of voluminous raven colored hair, and vibrant Elizabeth Taylor eyes. "How have you been?" Her mother asked.

Raven involuntarily fidgeted. "Uh-good." she quickly recovered. Her mother gave her that look. "Just busy with work and all."

Angela smiled at her approvingly. Raven took a deep breath as she was ushered off to baggage claim. She half listened as her mother explained everything she and the other matrons of the White Glove Society, a club for middle age women with plenty of time on their hands, had been up to lately. She joined a book club and invested in few projects here and there. Every time the thought of telling her mother she was pregnant crossed her mind she broke out into a mild form of hyperventilation and panic.

She remained silent the entire ride home. Raven hadn't been to California in about two shameful years. This was the first time she was seeing her mother's house since her move from Calabasas to Santa Barbara. She felt a sort of anxiety as they pulled up into the driveway, the crunch of the gravel under the heavy tires of her mother's trendy Toyota pirus. Her heart was pounding, she could hear it in her ears.

The house was gorgeous, she had to admit. The grey two story colonial house was surrounded by perfectly manicured green hedges and lawn. The second floor balcony railings were draped in vines, and a perfect ficus greeted her at the front door. She wasn't surprised by the country cottage style interior. The floral couch in the living room, the small white book shelf next to the narrow staircase in front of the door. Angela told Raven to make herself comfortable while she hurried up the stairs to deliver Raven's suitcase into the upstairs. Raven pulled off her scarf and jacket and gently placed it on the coat hook next to the front door.

Raven shivered. Was it possible to be this cold in Los Angeles? She mindlessly wondered into the spacious living room to the right of the door. There was a vase of brightly colored daffodils sitting on the coffee table, next to a stack of knitting magazines. That was odd, since when was Angela into knitting? Raven pushed past the swing doors and wondered into a colonial living room with a giant mahogany dining table. The kitchen was small and there wasn't much to see. Raven found herself in sun room and stared at the front yard. She sighed.

"Raven." she heard her mother calling.

She sighed and tore herself away from the window. Back in the dining room her mother was seated very poised on the loveseat, a silver tray of porcelain tea cups. Before she could be invited she sat herself on the far side of the couch. Angela prepared the tea. Two scoops of tea leaves, three cubes of sugar, and a tea leaf strainer. Raven hesitated when she was handed her cup. She wondered if it had caffeine in it.

"So tell me how's work?" Angela inquired.

She didn't care she was just making conversation. "Good." Raven said vaguely.

"How have you been?" Raven opened her mouth to tell her fine but she was cut off before she could say anything. "I don't know if I like you being in New York all by yourself. It can be dangerous and a lot of weirdos live around the place. It's not safe for woman and- Raven Jolie Roth what happened to your leg?"

Raven placed her cup on the saucer on the table. She used her middle name. "Mother, it's fine. I'm fine. You worry too much. I'm just getting a tattoo removed is all."

"I suppose I do, but why shouldn't I? I'm your mother and it's not like you call me enough to put my mind at ease. I never have any idea what's going on with you. Don't tell me you just flew six hour down here for a visit." she finished her sentence with a light hearted laugh.

Raven sighed and turned to face her mother. She had a serious expression. "Actually mother there is a reason I came down here."

Angela peeked at her from her cup. "Oh?" she inquired.

Her heart sped up in her chest. Raven tried to control her breathing as not to give away anything was wrong. She was pretty sure it had only been a few seconds but it felt as if she had been staring at her mother open mouthed and speechless for hours. Angela remained completely patient. Raven closed her mouth, cleared her throat, and tried again. "Mother the reason that I came down here is because I wanted to tell you something." her heart was erratic in her chest. "I-"

As fate would have it the phone rang startling Raven. Angela smiled apologetically and moved back into the front hall. "Hello? she heard Angela say irritably. Raven sighed and sat back. She wanted to get this over with before she lost her nerve. Her hands were shaking slightly. She held her left one in her right and pulled her hands into her lap. She really hoped this phone call would be quick. "Of course not, I put the order in before Thanksgiving, and I'm going to pick it up on the twenty seventh...Oh thank you, but no. My daughter is in town. I will...Yes, I'll talk to you soon. Bye."

Angela came back into the room and sat back down. "Sorry about that. Some business with the White Gloves. Now what was it you wanted to tell me?"

Raven opened her mouth. _I'm pregnant. _She sighed. "Nothing."

* * *

There was a water stain in the guest room ceiling. Raven knew this because she had been staring at it for about two hours. Sleep was next to impossible. The idea of telling her mother she was pregnant filled her with dread. She had planned on telling her that very morning but she couldn't muster up the courage. Raven pulled the white, cotton sheets to her waist and slid her hand under her shirt and rested it on her stomach.

"Things will get better." she said to herself. Hell, maybe she _was _talking to her unborn baby, it was the only thing listening to her. She rolled onto her side and stared at the digital clock. 3: 14 in the morning. Raven swung her legs over the side of the bed and ran her hand through her hair. She crept into the bathroom and flicked on the light. There were dark circles under her eyes. She had been constantly reminding herself not to stress herself out about too many things. That was almost impossible.

Raven tip toed back into the bedroom and fell back onto the bed. Somehow she managed to fall asleep. She woke up the the blinding sun flooding the windows. Raven sat up startled, forgetting where she was for the moment. She grabbed the clock sitting on the bedside table. 8:37. She sighed putting it back in place and moving back downstairs to find her mother.

She was surprised to see Angela fully dressed sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee. Much more to her surprise there was another woman sitting across from her. She had heard laughter before her emergence, which quickly fell into silence upon her entrance. The looked like Martha Stewart's distant half sister. She was wearing a prim beige suit, and her light blond hair was thinned and fluffed.

Angela smiled at Raven. "Good morning. I thought you'd be feeling a bit jet lagged from your flight. Mariska this is my daughter Raven, Raven this Mariska Kelley. She is the coordinator of the Santa Barbara chapter of the International White Glove Society."

Raven moved in to shake her hand. She felt embarrassed to be greeting her so informally much less wearing louge wear. She was grateful she had, had the sense to at least put on a bra before she came downstairs. "How do you do?" Raven asked politely.

"Fine thank you. Angela has told us so much about you. So you work for Wayne Enterprises. What department are you in?"

"Uh I'm in the promotional department." she said. She couldn't think properly this soon after waking up.

"How lovely." she said. Mariska stood up abruptly. "Well, I must be on my way Tonya is bringing the little ones over tomorrow and I want everything to be perfect." Angela stood up and opened the back door. "I'll see you after Christmas. It was nice meeting you, Raven." she said.

As soon as the door was closed, Raven felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She could feel the color draining from her face. Angela looked instantly concerned. "Are you alright? You seem pale." She brushed back Raven's hair.

"Uh-" she struggled to find an excuse. "I...had a flu shot a couple days ago. Its probably the inoculation." With that Raven excused herself, and moved out of the kitchen and back upstairs. After a brief trip to the bathroom she decided to get dressed. She felt inexplicably exhausted but if she kept taking random naps at various and inconsistent hours of the day she would give herself away.

The little free time Raven had after that she spent thinking of ways she could break the news to her mother. They weren't exactly close, but she still needed and appropriate way to tell her. Her thoughts were broken by a sudden hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" Angela asked. "You seem-"

"I'm fine." Raven ensured her quickly.

Angela was silent for a moment, but then nodded quickly accepting her answer. "I need to drop some toys off for the children at the hospital at the mall. I was wondering if you'd like to come along. You can hide out at the book store, you don't have to spend all your time with the kids."

Raven stared at her blankly for a moment. "Sure." she said. She could use another book.

The mall was a brief ten minutes from Angela's house. Raven hated the thought of having to fight her way through the mall on Christmas eve. After twenty minutes of searching for parking space, Raven helped her mother steer a large bag of perfectly wrapped gift through the service elevator in the parking garage. Inside the actual mall was worse than she could have imagined. The place was packed. Husbands filing in and out of the jewelery store, hoards of teenagers loitering in the halls on all floors, everyone rushing about trying to find last minute gifts. Raven felt totally displaced. She followed her mother to the center of the mall where a Santa chair had been set up.

Children surrounded the scene of plastic trees, fluffy snow, and phony elves. Angela excused herself to talk to the coordinator which was fine with Raven. She stood by watching the children crowd around the jolly, red nosed Santa. Raven was astonished at his patience with the crowd of screaming kids. She imagined he had a flask of scotch hidden underneath that red trimmed coat. She felt a head ache forming.

A little girl, a beautiful blond haired blued toddler tugged at the bottom of her sweater. Raven kneeled down to level. The little girl handed her a paper snowflake. "What's this?" she asked confused.

The girl must have been about three. "Mewy Chriwstmas." she said before running off to join the rest of the kids.

Raven stood back up and stared at the misshapen, jagged piece of construction paper. She felt inexplicable tears well up in her eyes and a bizarre mixture of sadness and happiness flooded her chest. She tried to blink back the emotion. She was already just getting by on impromptu moments of sickness and extreme fatigue, the last thing she needed was sudden mood swings.

Angela appeared out of nowhere once again. She had an incredible talent of showing up at the worst possible moment. "Darling are you quite sure you're alright?" she asked concerned pressing her palm against Raven's cheek.

Raven blinked a few times before answering. "I'm fine. Uh-I'll be in the book store." she said turning in the direction of Border's. Personally she preferred Barnes and Nobles but she wasn't about to complain about a bookstore. She was pleasantly surprised to see the book store was less crowded than most of the other stores. Her mind was so out of place she couldn't keep her mind on finding a book. After about five minutes of mindlessly wandering up and down the isles she fell into a provided chair to restore energy for awhile.

When she looked up. Serendipitously she found herself across from the maternity section. Her eyes fell on the _Pregnancy Body Book_. She flipped through the pages, and found the source of her mysterious back aches. There was a lot of information that she had been previously unaware of. She took that and a copy of _Pregnancy and You _and even picked out a copy of _What to Expect When You're Expecting. _

She realized that she couldn't return to her mother without an "excuse" book. Quickly scanning the nearest book shelf she pulled out a copy of _Flowers in the Attic _despite the fact that she had read it when she was fourteen.

Raven was fairly annoyed with the length of the line. Her eyes kept darting nervously toward the door half expecting her mother to pop out at any moment and expose her secret. "Are you expecting?" the perky check out girl asked her as she rung her items.

"Yeah." she said distracted. It was the first time a stranger had asked her.

"Congratulations." she said. "When are you due?"

It was at that moment that Raven realized that she didn't know when she was due. She would have to find out at her next doctor appointment. "Uh, early summer." she quickly thanked the woman before she could have a chance to continue the conversation.

As she stuffed the remaining books into her pocket book on her way out of the book store she realized the absurdity of it all. Here she was hiding her pregnancy like a drug addict from her own mother. She needed to tell her.

She would, when the time was right.

* * *

Christmas day had come and gone, and Raven was yet to reveal anything to her mother. She was feeling hopeless and more panicked than ever. She was leaving the next morning and she was beginning to believe she would muster up enough courage to just spit it out. Raven tossed and turned that night. She had one more day to tell her mother. God why was this so hard? Raven threw the cover off of herself and before she could stop herself she moved down the hallway and found herself standing in front of her mother's closed bedroom door. She sighed defeated. Was her own cowardice worth waking her mother up in the middle of the night like a child?

She swiftly turned around and returned to her room. Accepting the fact that she would not be sleeping much tonight, she flicked on the bedside lamp and began reading one of the pregnancy books. They were very informative. According to the week by week guide this week her baby had grown hair follicles, fingernails, and possibly ovaries. She began to wonder if it were a boy or girl. A girl would be nice, but she didn't mind a boy either. She sighed the reality was overwhelming. She needed to start figure things out, she didn't have a lot of time left.

There was a light knock on the door, startling Raven and sending her book flying to the ground. "I didn't mean to scare you." Angela said from the doorway. "You're not typically so jumpy."

She moved into the room and sat at the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry did I wake you?" Raven asked.

"No, I was going downstairs to get a glass of water and I saw the light in your room on. Raven, is something on your mind? Are you getting sick?"

Raven stared at her for a long moment. This was her chance. "Mother," she started slowly. "I ... I came here with all intentions of telling you something and I've spent all week trying to find the right way to tell you something. So far I've got nothing."

"Is that what's been bothering you?" Raven nodded. Angela sighed. "Growing up I raised Catholic. My parents were extremely, extremely religious I they believed that God's word was the final word. I grew up very disillusioned and was taught not to indulge in the 'sins of the flesh'. I wanted to dance ever since I was nine years old, but I was terrified of what my parents would think. " she sighed again, and began running her fingers through Raven's hair.

"I danced in secret for years. I told my parents I was volunteering at the Children's hospital or teaching Hail Mary to kids at the church, anything I could think of to get away. It worked for awhile, but of course they found out. Right before my seventeenth birthday. They were convinced that I had signed the Devil's book or something equally ridiculous."

"They were pissed?" Raven guessed.

The corners of Angela's mouth twitched. "They wanted to send me to a convent in Maryland. I of course refused to go." she laughed. "I had some ridiculous plan of running away to England and making a living by dancing. It never happened obviously. What did happen was I met your father. He was thirty and charming and wealthy. I was immediately in love with him. He promised to take me to Germany and start a life there and-"

"You guys eloped and lived happily ever after." Raven said. "I've heard the story."

Angela smiled and brushed the end of her hair. Her fingers worked through the knots. "The point is I always promised myself that when I had children I would raise them better than my parents did. I wanted to be a good mother and for us to be close. And look what I did, I handed you off to your father and let you become an estate in our divorce."

Raven shifted uncomfortable. A pang of guilt ran through her. "You're still not over that. Mother, it was over ten years ago."

She frowned and turned her glaze toward the door. "I-I never really forgave myself. It was a completely selfish thing to do. God, I- I was young and everything was happening so fast. I was twenty and had a baby, I was getting a divorce."

"Mother I was ten when-"

"I know sweetheart, but your father and I played tug a war with you many times until then. I convinced myself you were better off with him. He had money, a lot of money and could afford anything and everything you wanted and all the things I wanted for you. A good private school education, a big house in the Hamptons, that dollhouse I never had growing up. It was a mistake I admit. Look at us, we're not close. There's something bothering you and you can't even tell me what it is. Honey, I love you and I want you to know you can tell me anything."

Raven remained silent. She broke her gaze and stared at her lap. Angela put her hand against her cheek. "You don't have to tell me now. Whenever you're ready."

With one last smile Angela rose from the bed and glided across the room shutting the door behind her. Raven watched the door for awhile before reaching for the bedside lamp. The talk with her mother made her feel better. It made her realize she could tell her mother. When the time was right.

Whenever that was.

* * *

The next morning Raven was determined to tell her mother. She could almost laugh at how ridiculous she had been. What had she been scared of in the first place? She woke up shortly after eight, immediately dressed in marched downstairs.

"Mother?" she called. Something felt weird. She couldn't quite place the feeling but something was definitely off. She slowed her pace in the living room and right as she entered the dining room she felt an icy, metallic feeling in the pit of her stomach. She pushed the doors opens to a hoard of middle aged and older women handling fish in the kitchen. The momentairal shock from the rush of fish smell disabled her from properly greeting anyone.

"Raven, good morning." Angela saved her. "These are the patrons of the Santa Barbara chapter of the White Gloves. You met Mariska." She toured Raven around the room and personally introduced her to everyone. Angela and another woman named Karen, had to have been the youngest patrons by at least twenty years. Raven tried her best to hold her breath at the risk of inhaling the overpowering odor of fish. "We are baking fish to send to the homeless shelter and for Meals on Wheels."

"Oh you're kidding." Raven muttered under her breath.

"Why don't you help us." Angela said enthusiastically.

Raven hesitated. The last thing she wanted to do was seem rude in front of her mother's philanthropic friends. "Sure." her voice almost betrayed her.

"Wonderful. Why don't you- no you're allergic to onions. Would you mind helping Marcella to bone the fish. We have to make sure most of the bones are taken out so the seniors don't choke. "

Raven slid into a chair pushed against the wall next to a plump woman with graying hair. The woman-Marcella began to explain how to bone a fish. Raven was only half listening. She inhaled very fastidiously, trying her best not to catch a whiff of the fish. Marcella took a long kitchen knife and cut down the center of a long catfish. Blood oozed out of the carcass and dripped onto the table, which had been secured by a thick plastic covering. She then began to demonstrate the deboning process. The sound of breaking bones was almost too much for her to handle.

Raven reluctantly picked up fish and laid it in front of her. Very slowly she cut into it. She began to pick the tiny bones out the sensation of sickness was steadily increasing. Within a half an hour Raven had only completed two fish while Marcella had done at least four or five. As the other ladies worked at their stations chattering away she was hardly noticed. She was glad the woman next to her didn't feel obligated to strike up a conversation, because she was sure she would have hurled all over her mother's usually spotless tile floor. A ding went off signaling the fish that had been in the oven for awhile was finished cooking. One of the other women put on a pair of oven mitts and pulled the batch out of the oven.

Raven's stomach heaved a few times and her heart sped up. "Could you excuse me?" she said to Marcella.

As inconspicuously as possible she slid out of the kitchen and half ran upstairs to the bathroom. She was grateful none of the other ladies were upstairs taking a bathroom break. She almost didn't make it. Her throat burned and her stomach convulsed. Without closing the door all the way she fell onto her knees in front of the toilet and wreched voilently. Raven sat back panting slightly. She lifted up the bottom of her shirt and watch her stomach contract with every small breath. She was losing definity in her stomach, she noted.

The very idea of going back downstairs and cutting up fish with the other woman and acting as though being in their presence, or more rather the presence of the fish, didn't utterly repulse her could have induced more vomiting. She sighed dejectedly, praying the sickness was over. If she kept running in and out of the room, they might start to get suspicious. Luckily for her when she returned the bulk of the boning had been completely (thanks mostly to Marcella), and Raven now had the task of delivering the completely packages to the homeless shelter. She was happy to oblige. Two other women helped Raven load the aluminum pans into the back of her mother's car. Angela gave Raven the directions to the shelter and handed her the keys to her car. After reminding her that she was a grown woman and ensuring she'd be perfectly fine by herself, Raven pulled out of the driveway.

It was a quick trip, but she had been held up for awhile at the shelter. The alone time had been relaxing. Raven knew she had to tell her mother the truth when she got back. A lump lodged in her throat. Instead of driving immediately home she parked the car across the street from a beach. She crossed the street and sat down on a bench on the sidewalk. She watched the tide from afar, as the rising waters crashed against the jagged rocks, white foam sizzling before flattening against the water. The sun was setting. God, where had the day gone? She must have been gutting fish longer than she had thought. Raven removed her black boots and stuck her feet into the cool white sand. Back when she was teenager and spent the summers with her mother, she would sometimes sneak out at ungodly hours of the night craving the peacefulness of the beach. No one else was on the beach. She imagined everyone was at home, using their new Christmas gifts and putting up with distant relatives. For once she didn't mind being alone. Oddly enough she didn't _feel _alone. She had a sense of warm presence. Her child maybe? This charade couldn't last much longer. Was she going to wait another two years to see her mother, show up with a two year child, and say "Surprise"?

Raven sighed she pulled her shoes back on, and began to make to trek back to her mother's house. It was almost dark outside. She placed the car keys in the key dish on the table next to the door. The house was still. Raven saw the light on in kitchen.

"I'm back." She announced to Angela, who was just finishing up the cleaning. "Is everyone gone?"

"Yes, they had other personal matters to attend to." she said gently. Raven nodded. Angela's face become hardened with desperate concern. "Raven, you've been acting strange this entire trip. If there's something wrong please don't torture me. Are you sick?"

Raven's lip pressed into a line. Poker face engaged she said, "I suppose I am". She turned around about to leave the kitchen. Back to square one.

"Is this sickness called pregnancy." she heard her mother say behind her.

She froze and her stomach lurched. Very slowly she turned around. "What?" she said barely above a whisper.

"Are you pregnant?" her mother asked, her voice void of emotion. Raven silently slid into the chair between the table and the wall and nodded. "How far along?"

She cleared her throat. "Almost three months."

Angela's mask of impassiveness broke. Her eyes were shining in concern. "Is that what you've been trying to tell me? Darling, why couldn't you just come out and tell me?" her tone was panicked and uncharacteristically desperate. Raven felt another uncomfortable pang of guilt.

"I tried. I really tried, but I just- couldn't. I couldn't. I don't know why but..." her voice trailed off. She sighed. "I-I didn't want you to be ashamed of me."

There she said it. She admitted it. The truth had been revealed. The cat was out of the bag. It was all out in the open. She aired the dirty laundry laundry. She had admitted her underlining fear not only to her mother but to herself. There was a long, unbearable moment of silence. Raven's heart was pounding against her ribs. She wanted her mother to say something, anything. Tell her how irresponsible she had been. Tell her how stupid she was for making such a stupid mistake. Tell her how she was ruining her life, and would ruin her child's life.

Angela crossed the kitchen slowly, and silently. Raven was shaking slightly. She kneeled down in front of Raven, their eyes meeting-really meeting each other for the first time in years. Raven watched her nervously, waiting for the yelling to start. Unexpectedly Angela pulled her into a hug. Not the stiff and awkward hug like at the airport, but a genuine motherly hug. Raven remained stiff for a moment, having been caught off guard by the unanticipated act.

"I could never be ashamed of you." Angela told her.

Raven felt a bubble of emotion well up inside her. She reached her arms up and embraced her mother. After a long moment of embracement Angela let go and smiled at her daughter. She sat in the seat across from her.

"I never thought I'd be a grandmother." she scoffed. "I'm much too young for grandchildren." Raven let go of a small laugh. "Is it a boy or girl, do you know?"

"I'm thinking I want to be surprised."

Her family _was_ just full of surprises.

* * *

Raven had believed that her stay with her mother would have made her feel better, and it had for awhile. They had spent the rest of the night talking and hopefully making plans. At the airport the next day Angela told her to take care of that baby, and Raven promised she would. Almost as soon as she had arrived the breaking news that her father had been arrested, something about embezzlement, had broken. At the will of Angela she bailed him out. She felt an odd sense of compassion for him. It wasn't dramatic at all she went down to the station, paid the bail, and left. She hadn't actually seen or talked to him and that was perfectly fine with her.

She had felt a lot better until two days later. She had, had a bizarre craving for cupcakes and so had traveled to the supermarket although it was almost midnight. There she had a very unfortunate encounter with Gar. It was brief and awkward and ultimately upsetting. He was there with Terra buying wine and others things, laughing about something. He had spotted Raven before Terra had the chance to. When he saw her he looked absolutely horrified. He immediately turned around and quickly steered Terra in the opposite direction.

This was extremely distressing to Raven, and she had spent the last three days locked in doors by herself. It was January second, and she had to go to work the day after tomorrow. Raven stood in front of the window watching the cars whip by. The sky was gray and freezing. She further wrapped her arms around herself. She wanted to blame the deep feeling of saddness on the moodswings and not her actual feelings. It was just easier to deal with them that way. She prayed this wasn't another flare of depression. She had no one to talk to at the moment. She didn't want to worry her mother by calling her so soon, and Dick was still away and Kory was God knows where.

She felt a presence behind her. She didn't turn around. "What are you doing here?" she voice was emotionless.

"The doorman let me in." he said.

She turned around and glared at him. "I said what not how." she bit.

"Raven." he said sternly. She scoffed and turned back to face the wall. He was stupider than she thought if he thought it was going to be that easy. There was a long moment of silence. He still didn't leave. "You're mother called." he stated. "She told me that you're pregnant."

"What do you care?"

"I'm your father." Tristian said his voice was more gentle than she was use to. Raven ignored him. More silence. "Raven, I didn't come here to beat around the bush. I wanted to talk." she remained silent. "Why won't you just talk to me?"

"Because I hate you." she stated.

"Then why did you post my bail."

Game.  
Set.  
Match.

She scoffed and laughed a very trenchant laugh. She turned around to face him. "You want to know why? I did it because I felt sorry for you." that was intended to hurt you. "I would have never done it if mother hadn't called me on the phone begging me to have mercy. That's the difference between you and me, I have the ability to feel compassion for other people. You might be able to too if you weren't so apathetic all the time."

Her eye burned in contempt. She hated how collected he was, standing there in his ten-thousand dollar suit thinking he could just pop in and out of her life as he pleased. She hated that he could pretend he hadn't messed her up growing up and that she would just forgive him because he willed it. It was his fault she couldn't express herself to Gar. It was his fault she could ever fully trust herself with men. If he had been more of a father to growing up...

Raven was locked in a tsunami of emotions. Anger and hatred were currently battling each other out. Hatred was winning. She sighed dejectedly and turned around to face the window. "Just go away." she felt too tired to fight with him right now. She just needed sleep...and chocolate cupcakes.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked.

She turned around to face him once more, her expression was incredulous. "Excuse me?" her tone sounded like a warning.

"He left you. Maybe it was for another woman. An ex girlfriend maybe? Maybe he did it to get back at you. He wanted to hurt you the way you hurt him. But it wasn't you're fault things weren't good the way they were. You couldn't just sit around and act like you could go through life loving him while he was loving another woman. The baby- he doesn't want it. Hell, maybe it's just you he doesn't want, or at least that's what you think."

She was stunned. How could he possibly know all of this? She couldn't possibly be that easy to read. He had to have paid someone, he was well connected. "Stop it." she whispered.

"You don't get it. Is she that much better to be with than you? You wonder is she prettier than you, is she smarter, is she more fun to be with than you? The truth is Raven," Tristian went on. "No. She is not better than you. There is no one smarter or prettier or more fun to be with than you. He left you because you're so God damned jaded. He just wanted you to let go. I know this because I've been there. We're two halves of the same coin, Raven. I don't want you to be like me."

Raven snapped. "I am nothing like you! How dare you? You're so fucking jaded you don't even posses the ability to feel anything for anyone! Not even you're own daughter. Your wife left you, you shipped you're father off to a nursing home, and I'm the only one who you can't control and it drives you crazy! That's why you're here isn't it."

"I came to apologize." he said taking a step closer.

Her eyes burned with angry, hot tears. She fought the urge to cry. It had been nine years, and she wasn't about to let it go now. "Guess what! I don't care! I don't care! Fine you wanted to fucking apologize and you did it. I fucking accept it now get the fuck out, and leave me the fuck alone! I want you out of my life! I don't need _him _and I don't need you." her voice wavered on the last word.

Tristian swiftly crossed the room, and stood in front of her. Raven's breathing had become heavy and she was overwhelmed with emotion. He pulled her against him. She almost immediately broke down in tears. She choked on sobs that she could no longer control. "It's okay." he whispered into her hair. "I'm sorry."

Raven's grief outweighed her anger. She was upset with herself for allowing herself to fall to her father _again_. She didn't fight the tears this time, she couldn't. She just allowed her father to hold her and whisper and console her. There was something different about her father, something good.

"C'mon." he said after awhile. "I want to take you somewhere."

"Somewhere turned about the deck of her father's yacht _The Champion _parked at the docks. It was near freezing outside. Raven wondered why on earth he would choose to hang out on a frozen ocean in the middle of January. He leaned over the side of the boat ice fishing (yes, ice fishing in New York), while Raven sat on a louge chair huddled underneath of a thick blanket. The staff made a big fuss over her until Tristian had requested some privacy.

Not a word was spoken between the two for a long moment. "So-" Tristian started. "My daughter is having her own child." he laughed. "I never thought I'd live to see the day. I remember when you were born. You're mother and I had been married for three years. At the time having your first child at thirty-three was very old. So anyways your mother and I had spent the summer traveling through Europe. Our goal was to make it to Paris for your birth, but your mother loved Tuscany so much she wanted to spend another week there. It was late September by the time we were in Hamburg. Your mother wasn't feeling well so went to the Hospital and ended up missing the train to France. I wanted to stay in Hamburg but she insisted that she was fine to get on the next train. She wasn't fine, she was in labor. We got off the train in Munich and you were born there in the Gnade der Madonna hospital on September 25, 1982."

Raven remained silent. Tristian continued. "You were so beautiful. I remember thinking that there was nothing I had ever seen that was more beautiful than you and that even in that run down and God forsaken hospital nothing else mattered. Jolie means pretty in french. Your mother and I loved you, that I promise. You kept us together for another year. I'm sorry you had to get involved in all of our drama."

"I don't remember a time when we were all happy." Raven said honestly.

"I know." Tristian confessed. "You were happy when you were a little girl. I remember when you told me you wanted to be a ballerina. It was Christmas eve 1985, you were three. You were spending Christmas with me that year. We were in the living room and I was reading the paper. You saw a performance of the Nutcracker on t.v and you turned to me and said 'daddy dance'. You always knew what you wanted and always went for it. I immediately went out and bought you ballet slippers and signed you up for classes. I still have your first dance recital on tape."

"Why did you make me stop?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I had to." was his answer. "My little girl-my fifteen year old daughter was making herself throw up to dance. It wasn't worth it."

Raven sighed somewhat defeated. "I don't get it. Why are you telling all of this now?"

Tristian turned around to face his daughter. "Raven, there comes a time in a person's life when they realize that their whole life was meaningless-"

"Are you dying?"

He laughed. "No, I'm not dying. I don't want to end up in my eighties alone with nothing to look forward to except regret. I realize now that I let my bitterness and often times the alcohol control me. I had everything I needed: you and your mother and I threw it all away. Millions-_billions_ of dollars later and I was still so bitter. I don't want to be that person anymore. My sponsor said forgiveness was the first step."

Raven was hesitant. She had always promised herself when she moved out she'd never speak to her father or have anything to do with him again. Something told her that he was being honest for the first time. She believed him. "I just want to move on to a better tomorrow."he said looking out onto the gray and frozen ocean.

Raven stood up and moved over to him. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "So do I. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree after all."

* * *

I think I have some major apologizing to do. First of all I took forever to update I know, cross country and NHS kept me busy but cross country season is over and I plan to do no sports until March. The next update will be sooner. Second I admit to cutting corners in the past and not properly proof reading. If it makes you feel better its a fatal flaw of mine that my history teacher pointed out. It's sloppy and unprofessional and I apologize for that.

Most importantly there was absolutely no Dick and Kory in this chapter. That was one hundred percent intentional. Please stay with me on this one. The next chapter is probably the most important chapter in the whole story, one all you Dick/Kory fans will definately want to read. I am excited about it so please wait for that. Phew, alright that's it I think. Let me know if you noticed any improvement in spelling and grammar.


	21. South Pole

One more to go. I must dedicate this to Chicagobabe. Without whom's review this story may have never been finished.

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans

* * *

**_-"Love means never having to say you're sorry." Love Story, 1970-_**

**PART ONE**

Dick sat slumped in a lazyboy that had become beaten with age. It was unusually uncomfortable. His eggnog sat untouched on a coaster (God forbid Alfred catch him not using a coaster), and the party continued around him in black and white. He wondered if Bruce had noticed his abnormally sour mood over the past few days. Probably not, he was too preoccupied with his girlfriend. It was Kory, she was the one ruining his Christmas vacation. She said she was fine. She said they were okay. He wondered now if her words were directly intended to mislead him.

The thoughts never left his mind. They haunted him day and night. Kory told him she wanted to spend the break by herself and that was it. Not another word. Dick had stopped by her place before he left for Gotham to exchange gifts and was surprised to see she didn't have one for him just a letter. She told him not to open it until the time was right. Her face had looked rather somber, in fact it was the most somber he had ever seen her.

And that scared him.

He patted the inside lining on his jacket where he stored the letter, close to his heart. He sighed. It was official: his vacation was ruined. Dick stood up and began the trek across his living room to the outside terrance. He had been pulled into a conversation with one of Bruce's tipsy, investors or something of the sort. He excused himself as politely as possible, before ducking into the kitchen before being coerced into another pointless conversation. It was dark inside. Dick flicked on the light and was surprised to see Bruce sitting at the island table staring at a glass of egg nog. Well, he wasn't staring at it, so much as he was pondering it.

"Hey?" Dick asked wondering if he should leave.

Bruce read his mind, he was good at that. "Come in." he waved him further into the room.

Dick reluctantly stepped further into the room and took a seat next to Bruce at the island. Bruce placed a cup in front Dick and filled it with egg nog and rum. "Cheers." Bruce said, and the two men slapped their cups together half heatedly.

Neither of them actually drank the concoction. There was silence. It wasn't awkward or comfortable, it just was. Dick sighed heavily and placed his cup on the immaculate granite table top. Bruce held on to his. The grandfather clock in the hallway could be heard tick tocking away.

"So how is Kory?" Bruce asked after awhile.

Dick shrugged dejectedly. "Honestly I don't know."

Bruce waited for him to continue, but Dick ended it there. He didn't want to open up. Opening up meant facing the truth, and coming out of denial and confronting the inevitable pain that it brought along with it. "Selina seems nice." Dick said in attempts to change the subject, one away from himself.

Bruce nodded. "Yeah, she's great. She's- really great."

"How long have you guys been dating now? Seven or eight months?" Dick was glad for the temporary distraction. He was glad to hear Bruce had found someone special to him. If Bruce could find true love this late in life, who was to say things wouldn't work out for the better for him.

Bruce rubbed the back of his neck. "Nine months."

"Do you love her?" Dick asked suddenly. He was only somewhat kidding. Bruce flinched as if he just been shot. For a moment his body betrayed him and the originally untouched drink in his hand faltered and egg nog sploshed over his hand. He downed the rest of the drink. Dick waited for him. "Well, do you?"

Bruce turned to him, with the most honest expression. His eyes in geuine content. "I-yes, I do. I love her." he sighed. "I never imagined myself in love with a woman, especially not the way I love Selina. It's scary-love. It makes you feel emotions you never thought you had, and do things you never thought you'd do."

It was Dick's turn for a drink. "I know what that's like." he sighed frustrated. "I hate the way I feel, I hate the way I feel right now. I hate feeling so helpless and guilty, but I love the way Kory makes me feel. I never thought I could feel absolutely horrible and wonderful at the same time. It sucks. I...sometimes I wish things could go back to the way they were before I met Kory."

It felt good to vent. Dick had held so much in it made him crazy, until he just couldn't do it anymore.

Bruce patted him on the back. "The way I see it is one day you'll lie and get in trouble with a woman and that's how you know it's love. It sucks but that's just the way it is."

Bruce got up from his chair, and gave Dick one more fleeting look before disappearing behind the kitchen door. Dick sighed and patted his breast pocket and pulled out the letter that Kory had given him before holiday. Instead of saying don't open until Christmas she said "Read it when the time was right." His thumb slid under the flap of the envelope and he gently pulled out the egg white stationary. Kory's neat calligraphy was scribbled down the page.

_Dear Dick,_

_It seems odd that I am starting a letter with **Dear Dick **rather than my love, my everything, the holder of my heart. My life has certainly taken quite a turn. It's time for us both to admit that we have been drifting away from each other. Although we have been apart for these past few months, I wanted to believe that life and love would bring us back together. That hope was my comfort and gave me the patience to wait for that future. As time has passed it has become clear to me that you have drifted further and further away from from me. I realize with the heaviest of hearts that it is now time to acknowledge, to you and myself, that our futures have chosen different paths. _

_My hope that destiny and love would bring us back together meant that I would never really have to say goodbye. As much as it saddens me I think it's time for me to say goodbye. _

_I don't know how many ways I can tell you that I love you. How my heart flutters and my stomach lurches whenever you're around. I don't know how to express how lucky I am that I found you when I wasn't even looking for you. Some would say it was serendipity, but I say it was fate. I never once thought that what we had was a fling. For once in my life I was truly, deeply, madly in love. I opened my heart to you with the hope that you would extend the same courtesy. I thought I could break your shell and have those walls you built tumble down. Closing your heart to me opened my heart to you. _

_In an almost maddening way I think about you all the time. You're the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing that crosses my mind at night. In a way I hate you for that. God, I hate this part. I often wonder if you think about me the way I think about you. I saw a future for us, one that was indefinite but we were together and we were happy. If I were granted three wishes they'd be you, me, us and that's all I ever really wanted. I realize now that you do not see the same future for us and so it is time to say goodbye. _

_Your entry into my life breathed life into me. It gave me excitement for each new day and I looked forward with anticipation to each time I could see you. Lately, you have crossed my mind less and less and I wonder: If I stop thinking of you will you be gone from me forever? Maybe it's for the best anyways. Memories are what you have when you've lost everything else. Dreams are what you have when you forget the memories. And bliss is what you have when you have given up both. _

_Things can't go on like this anymore. I cry every night and I feel like I've been carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders and I can't take it anymore. I'm fed up. I'm tired of standing on a bridge that is still burning waiting for you to save me, and truthfully I'm ready to jump. I hope you don't think I included this to try and shoulder you with the blame, I'm not. I know you love me and I know you try to show me you love me as much as you can. I guess that's the problem you spend more time trying than actually doing. _

_Dick, I'm in love with you and I don't know what to do. I don't want to leave you but I can't stay either. Let's face it every time we take a step closer to each other we only end up taking two steps back. I promise this will be the last time that I hurt you. In all my life I never felt so at peace than when I was in your arms. I was enthralled by the beauty in your smile, bewitched by the twinkle in your eyes, and overwhelmed by the passion of your kisses. _

_I've been thinking long and hard about how to come to this conclusion, and have decided that we should go our separate ways. I've been stuck in this place of emotional hell for too long. We've had many good time together, but this relationship had also brought me agonizing pain that I wouldn't wish anyone. I was in so much agony that I wanted to walk away from this relationship (and tried to on several occasions). I thought that love could mend whatever we broke, but I see now that sometimes love just isn't enough. _

_You may have thought, in the last few months, that with me you were missing a certain free part of your life. That's just not true. If at anytime you boldly stepped out and stated that you wanted nothing more than a lifetime of love with me, and you would have received a seemingly unending hug and a shoulder dampened with my tears. Now you have made relationship decisions that have troubled me. You are a good and trusting person, but I think you are so vulnerable due to the unresolved sorrows in your life. I'm sorry my love couldn't do more to heal the wounds of your heart. We all have pain. I come from a place that existed on the foundation of pain, but that's the difference between you and the rest of the world: we're not all so damn bitter about it. I never look back on the past and always look forward to the future. Your are so stuck in the past of tragedy that it has made you jaded and unable to move on to the future._

_So this is goodbye. Truthfully we just want different things in life. Please don't think that it was all for nothing. There will always be a precious place in my heart, where you will be fondly, fondly remembered but it is time that I seek my own future. _

_I wish you the brightest future and I hope you find all that you are looking for..._

_Goodbye My Lover,  
Kory. _

Dick read through all three pages two more times. He let go of a breath that he didn't know he had been holding. His arm went limp and the pages fluttered to the ground. She was leaving him? His mind was suddenly swirling. She couldn't possible be breaking up with him. No! That's not how it was suppose to end! They were suppose to be together! Dick ran his fingers through his hair, panicking.

Somehow he found his legs and moved onto the veranda. It was about ten below but that didn't matter, nothing mattered anymore. Dick fumbled for his cell phone full knowing she wouldn't answer. It went straight to voice mail. His stomach felt sick and his heart sped up before calming down a bit.

He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to tell him how stupid he'd been and that he was ready to let it all go. He wanted a future with her. He wanted to hold her and tell her he loved her. He wanted...

He wanted her.

It was all so clear to him now. God, how could he have been so blind. There she was everything good and kind and perfect just for him, and he turned a blind eye to it all because he had been afraid.

He loosened his tie and stumbled back into the house. He had to find her. Never mind that it almost midnight on Christmas. Everything from the kitchen to the front door was a blur. He could faintly hear voices calling him, but maybe he had imagined that too.

"Master Grayson." Alfred's weary voice called to him. "Where do you intend on going at this hour on Christmas day?"

Dick shrugged anxiously. "I have to find her Alfred."

He wrenched the front door open and a gust of wind banged it against the wall. Alfred placed his coat over his shoulders. "Do keep warm young master."

Dick nodded practically falling down the steps of the manor. "Master Grayson-" Alfred called.

Dick half groaned. "Yes, Alfred?"

"Will you be wanting these?" he asked holding up his car keys.

* * *

The sound of the window wipers rapidly swiping across his windshield was driving him crazy. He bolted out of the Wayne estate and was currently wearing down his tires on the road. His mind was racing: where could she be? The headlights illuminated the the dark, woodsy area that lead to the main road. He knew she wasn't home. Even if she was he was more than an hour and a half outside of New York. There was no way he'd make it back in time, not with the storm coming.

He waited about two seconds before speeding across the intersection. He needed to calm down and think. She'd been so secretive about where she would be spending her Christmas. He needed to calm down and slow down, lest he run out of gas before reaching his destination.

Suddenly out of nowhere a deer hopped out of the dark woods ten feet in front of his speeding car. Dick gasped and quickly grasping the wheel lurched the car to the right in attempts to dodge the animal. He missed it but lost temporary control of the car. He foot fumbled for the brake pedal. The car screeched to the side before coming to an abrupt halt.

"God damn it!" Dick screamed frustrated slamming his hands repeatedly on the wheel. He looked up to see the curious deer standing in front of his car. It stared at him with doe like eyes before galloping into the woods and out of sight. Dick sighed and leaned back in his seat.

This was crazy and stupid. He had just expected to get into his car and magically know where she was. For all he knew she could be somewhere in Yugoslavia. He sighed dejectedly and was beginning to believe this really was the end for him and Kory.

Without much thought he switched on the radio. _"It's beginning to look a lot like Christm-" _

Dick tuned the station not in the mood for another jolly Johnny Mathis song or anything else cheery. He twisted the knob of the F.M dial until he found the one station not dedicated to the sounds of the season.

_"Oh I can't believe that you're still around. Almost forgot how you let me down." _Dick's head shot up from the place on the steering wheel where it had been resting. _"The scars are still fragile, don't let me down. So don't blow it, no not a little bit. 'Cause now you're all mine, don't you forget it. Don't blow it even a little bit 'cause now you're all mine. Don't you forget it. Don't let me down." _

That was it. Dick reignited the engine and his car roared to life. He pressed his foot on the gas and swung the car around. He came to the same intersection that he had passed just minutes ago but this time he sped down the east intersection. He was grateful a police officer wasn't there to see the highly illegal turn he'd just made.

He knew where she was. _And it's not too far from here! _He thought happily. He drove twenty minutes to the outskirts of Gotham. He watched the abandoned summer houses that were darkened, and few decorated with colorful Christmas lights. He turned into the field where he and Kory had shared their first kiss. His azure eyes wildly searched for her. His heart was blaring in his chest. His stomach lurched when he saw her car.

Dick almost forgot to brake. Without turning off his car and shutting the door, and stumbled into the field across from Kory's car. The snow was beginning to come down hard. The lights were on and could see her. In a daze his half ran to her side and knocked on the window. Kory jumped startled. Her mascara stained cheeks looked at him somewhat surprised. When she regained a sense of what was happening she rolled down the window.

"Dick." she breathed, almost whispered.

Dick pulled open her door, and yanked her out of her seat. His hands attached themselves to both sides of her face, as his eyes searched her confused green ones. He let go of his breath and pulled Kory against his chest. She gasped in surprise.

"I'm so sorry, Kory." He whispered into her tangled hair. "I love you."

"Dick-" her voice sounded strained.

"Wait." he promised. "I- I can let it all go! We can be together, that's all I really want I promise."

The tears that Kory had been saving released themselves and burned into the fabric of Dick's icy dress jacket. Her arms reached up from her sides and wrapped around his waist. They remained there in silent embrace for a long moment. Kory was the first to let go. She stared into the depths of Dick's hopeful eyes searching for truth. Finding it, she leaned up and attached her dry lips to his moist, soft ones.

"I love you." he said against her mouth.

"I know." she murmured.

"So you forgive me?"

She smiled up at him. "I have to." she said. "My car broke down."

* * *

**_-"I felt like destroying something beautiful." Fight Club, 1999-_**

**PART TWO- Three Months Later...**

"How are you holding up Rae?" Dick whispered to his very pregnant best friend.

She was currently clad in a draped lilac bridesmaid dress, holding a bouquet of calla lilies. Raven had abandoned her fake smile over an hour ago, and donned a very annoyed scowl. "My feet hurt, my back is killing me, I've had these dresses fitted _six _times, and I'm about one second away from killing your wife." she said through her teeth.

Dick had never imagined Kory as the bridezilla type. Somehow they had managed to throw together an engagement and wedding ceremony in a matter of months. Being able to afford some of the best wedding planners in the world helped. Dick looked down the short line of unhappy looking bridesmaids. Kory just wanted the perfect wedding and after almost two years of chasing him to the alter, she deserved as much.

"Raven, please stand up straight." Kory said wearily examining the girls.

She couldn't help but ask Raven to be the maid of honor. She _was _the reason she was getting married in the first place. She introduced them after all. Raven accepted and tried not to complain, she was glad it would all be over after tomorrow. Being six, nearly seven, months pregnant did nothing to help her mood.

Kory sighed. "Alright girls let's take a break, but be back here in no more than forty minutes to do another run through."

All the bridesmaids sighed in relief and immediately kicked off their heels. "Oh, one more thing." Kory added. "These dresses after weeks of having them fitted and refitted are finally perfect. None of you are allowed to lose or gain weight until after the pictures are taken. One pound out of place and I'll know."

Dick wrapped his arms around Kory's waist. "Take it easy Kor we still need them for the pictures."

"I just want everything to be perfect."

They walked hand in hand across the hall into the dining room of the Connecticut country club where the wedding and reception would be held. It was on a very private estate perfectly hidden from unwanted attention. They had done their best to keep their engagement out of the media, and therefore everything had been very hush hush. The workers were hurriedly setting the circular tables with silver tablecloths and matching silverware. Lilac tapestry draped the ceiling and lavish white roses sat in tall vases for centerpieces. She couldn't wait to see everything once it was all set up.

Kory sighed anxiously. Dick kissed her on the cheek. "I thought the purpose of us hiring wedding planners was so they could do all the work and we wouldn't have to stress out about everything."

Kory snorted at the word _we. _She turned to face him and smiled. "Did you call the interior decorator?" she said in a low tone.

"It's all set up they should be finished this weekend." he said. "And she has no idea?"

She shook her head. "Not a clue."

Dick and Kory had decided to surprise Raven with a fully furnished green nursery. She had been so busy with work, her duties as maid of honor, and being pregnant in general she just didn't have time to decorate one herself. As they spoke her extra room in her brand new brownstone was being decorated.

"I wish she would've found out whether it was a boy or girl so we could have done a blue or pink nursery." Kory sighed.

Dick shrugged. "It's not like she knows either, but she swears up and down it's going to be a boy."

"Mm." she mumbled. Kory was floating on air. Six months ago she had given up hope that she and Dick would have a future together, and now they were making it happen. They were one step closer to that dream.

She sighed happily. Everything was perfect.

* * *

Raven was hold up in a stall in the ladies room bawling. Ever since her meeting with her father she found herself crying every day. Sometimes it would be in the shower, sometimes on the ride to work, but most of the time it would be late at night when she would finally cry herself to sleep. Tired of random emotional outbursts Raven set aside specific times to cry everyday. Today was two o'clock. She had only meant to cry for no more the ten minutes: it had been thirty.

She had to go back to the rehearsal in ten minutes. She wiped hot tears from her eyes and exited the stall. She stopped in her tracks. Standing at the mirror fixing her hair, was Gar's flat chested wife, Terra. Oh God she prayed she hadn't heard her crying. Raven didn't suppose she remembered her. She stepped up the sink and stared at herself. She hoped the redness in her eyes weren't too noticeable.

"Are you okay?" Terra asked her.

Raven felt a flash of anger ripple through her. "I'm fine." she bit, storming out of the restroom.

She pulled her heels back on and hurried to the the main hall where the ceremony would be held. She had never been afraid of Kory until recently. Somehow planning a wedding and obtaining a ring the size of Pangea had caused her to transform. All the other bridesmaids where already waiting in line. She took a deep breath and took her place at the end of the line. Raven was secretly grateful that Dick hadn't chosen Garfield as his best man, and instead opted for his long time friend Roy Harper. The thought of having to be escorted down the isle and then later dancing with him at the reception utterly repulsed her.

Kory returned with a frown. "Uh okay." she started. "Raven, did you address the place cards?"

"Yes." she answered.

"And did you pick up the rose petals for the flower girl?"

"Yes."

"Did you finish the toast for the reception."

_Shit._ "Uh." Raven cursed herself. She knew she was forgetting something. "Yeah."

Kory didn't pick up on the lie. Her mind was too preoccupied with when the caterer would be calling her back. Instead she accepted her vague answer, dismissed the girls, and announced that dinner would be in one hour. Everyone traveled outside toward the hotel across the lawn. It was abnormally warm for a late March evening. Spring had been kind to Kory, and May had come a few weeks early. Kory returned to her suite a half an hour after everyone else. Her bridesmaids were chattering away. Kory sighed an silently slid into the bathroom. She sat the vanity and picked up the blush brush.

She stared at herself. Karen Beecher suddenly materialized at her side.

She smiled at her warmly. "That's not how a bride should look the night before her wedding." she said taking the brush from her and sweeping the neutral powder across her cheeks.

"I'm fine." Kory grumbled. She stood up abruptly and moved to the tub and ran her fingers along her dress that was hunging above it. It was gorgeous. Not a desinger label, not overly breaded and threaded, not old Hollywood, but nevertheless gorgeous. The bodice was beaded and in laced in the back. She sighed.

Karen stood up and watched her analyzing her every move. "Kory, is something wrong?"

"No." she said rather bitingly. "Where's Raven? I need her to call the restaurant and tell them we're on our way."

"She's asleep." Kory gently grabbed Kory by the shoulders and turned her around. "Kory."

They were locked in a staring contest. Kory did her best to maintain her poker face, but Karen was persistent. Finally Kory sighed and sat on the edge of the tub.

Her ran her fingers through her glossy hair. "Karen, am I wrong?"

"Honey cold feet is normal before-"

"No, it's not that." she said exasperated throwing her hands dramatically. "Am I wrong to make Dick married me? We've come so far and I am so ready to spend the rest of my life with him, but-" she sighed. "In the back of my mind I can't help but think that the only reason he proposed to me is because I threatened to break up with him. And if that's the case then I'm the one whose being really selfish."

Karen stared at her wordlessly for a long moment. "Kory," she said finally. "I've known you for several years and I know a few things about you. You're a lot of things but selfish is not one of them. I've known Dick too and I have never seen him so happy. He's walking down the isle tomorrow not because you forced him to but because he loves you. What about you?"

Kory didn't say word. After awhile she half smiled and stood up. "We're going to be late to dinner."

* * *

The day had finally come.

Kory scarcely ate at dinner and barely slept that night. She got through the rehearsal her unsureness undetected. Dick seemed happy, and that reassured her. Sometime when all was still and everyone was asleep she convinced herself that she didn't have cold feet, just chilly toes. Nothing was going to ruin the day for her. She woke up more excited than a kid on Christmas morning.

At promptly seven o'clock she forced all her bridesmaids out of bed and had a tray of crepes and bagels sent up for breakfast. The girls swooned over her. If she had a nickel for every time someone told her she was glowing she could have paid for the entire wedding. Time slowed. Dick had hard balled for a black tie event so the ceremony wouldn't occur until six P.M. Kory kept stealing glances outside of her window. By four o'clock she could see guest starting to arrive. The caterer arrived and slipped the gigantic cake into back.

By four thirty all the bridesmaids were dressed and ready. Kory wrapped the terrycloth bathrobe drumming her fingers of her leg.

"Kory darling if you don't stop all that fidgeting I'll have to start over. Again." said Fredericko, the make up artist who was quickly losing patience.

She shot him an apologetic look. She hated having her make up, hair, and nails done at the same time, but today she was strapped for time. Somehow over the noise of the room she heard a knock at the door. She craned her head, but Fredericko yanked her cheeks back in place.

"Can someone get that!" she yelled to no one in particular.

Raven was the first, and only, to act. She opened the door to see Victor standing there looking debonair in tux. He smiled pleasantly at her. "Hey, preggo. Lilac suits you well, you should wear it more often."

She rolled her eyes. "Is there a reason you're here other than to annoy me."

He handed her folded piece of gold paper. "This is for Kory. It's from Dick but he didn't tell me what it says just that it's important."

Raven thanked him before closing the door. "Kory." she tried and failed to obtain her attention.

Raven was a very intuitive person. It was almost a sixth sense or ESP, but she could always tell when something didn't seem right. Her fingers tapped the edge of the note. All she had to do was lift the flap. She knew it was wrong, but instinct took over. She lifted up the edge of the paper and immediately recognized Dick's handwriting.

_I'm sorry. Please forgive me._

She gasped. She turned around wondering what to do. Karen noticed the sudden surprised look on her face, and removed herself from her place on the window sill. She pulled the letter out of Raven's grip. Her chocolate brown eyes scanned the page before suddenly widening. She looked back at a completely unaware Kory before turning back to Raven. Raven shook her head. She grabbed Karen by the arm and pulled her closer.

"Don't tell Kory. Don't tell anyone I'll be right back." she whispered gravely.

Karen nodded understandingly. Raven slipped out of the room unnoticed. She ran with the best of her ability to the elevator. She stabbed the down button and tapped her foot impatiently. The ride two floors down was unbearable slow. Finally the bell sounded as she reached the floor. She could hear the chatter coming from the suit half way down the hallway. There was laughter and the smell of cigars. She pounded on the door impatiently.

Gar answered the door. His smile almost immediately faded when he saw her. She didn't have time for this. Pushing past him she stumbled into the room searching for Dick. The groomsmen were joking around and goofing off. Men.

"Where the hell is Dick?"

The room silenced immediately. The men all looked around waiting for someone to come up with an answer.

Roy was the first one to speak up. "Uh, he left about an hour ago. Something about wanting to speak to planner about the D.J or something."

"Oh my God, that idiot!" she looked around disgustedly at the group of men. "Why are you all so stupid!"

She scoffed before dramatically exiting the room. Without the patience to wait for another elevator she hurried down the stairs and was winded by the time she was in the lobby. Luckily the mens' suit had been on the first floor. Raven looked around for any mode of transportation. All the guests were making their way toward the main hall across the lawn which was the size of two football fields. The only way to make it from the hotel to the main hall was by shuttle bus. Adrenaline was pumping through her as she quickly scanned the parking lot. Her heart lurched when she spotted Alfred waiting by the Rolls Royce.

"Alfred-" she said breathlessly.

"Ms. Roth are you alright?" he asked concerned.

"Alfred you need to give me the keys to the car. It's urgent." she explained looking at him pleadingly.

She attached her arm to his and began leading him toward the buses. "Is Master Grayson in some sort of trouble?"

"Not if I can help it." Alfred placed the keys in her hand, and slammed the door shut as she pushed herself in the driver's seat. Raven stuffed the keys into the ignition and revved up the engine. She swurved out of the parking lot and sped off of the estate. She prayed she could make it there in time. She pressed her foot against the gas pedal speeding the speed meter flying wildly left and right.

The residents of that tiny Connecticut town probably thought she was insane speeding up the street the way she did. She fidgeted anxiously in her seay. Luxury cars just didn't go as fast as they used to. The anticipation was giving her aches in her knees. Her dress was bunching at the waist, but she would deal with Kory's wrath later. She pulled into the train station and desperately searched for a parking space. She sped up (if that were possible) and launched into an empty space. The driver of a waiting mini van flipped her off.

She catapulted herself out of the car. She lifted the hem of her dress and hurried into the station. Her heels clicked on the tile. She looked around madly. He could have been anywhere. Her heart almost stopped when she spotted Dick sitting on a bench in the middle of the terminal. He looked somewhat pathetic sitting in his now wrinkled tuxedo staring at the ticket in his hand. Raven took a deep breath and calmly made her way over to him. She slid into the empty space next to him, but he didn't acknowledge her presence.

"Hey." she said.

"Hey." he mumbled.

Raven sighed. "Dick, what are you doing here?" she said wearily.

He turned to face her. "I-I can't go through with it. I thought I could be I can't. Kory was right I am haunted by the past and it had paralyzed my future." he groaned. "It's like we're in the middle of the God damn **_South Pole_** and there's just nothing. I don't deserve her."

"Dick," Raven started slowly. "That's fucking bullshit. I'm so sick of this fucking Meredith Grey and Derek Shepard drama. You are the king of drama and this is your kingdom. I bet you get a kick out of having problems and that's what fucking problem is. Every time the dust settles you just have to kick up some more. Dick, you _need _to make a decision now. You can choose to let it all go and be happy for once in your life, or let go of Kory and fall into the same pattern. You can't have it all."

"Raven." his voice whispered.

"Don't be like me. Don't hold everything in away from everyone. All Gar wanted was for me to honest with him, but my pride and fear got in the way and now look at me. I'm alone and pregnant."

He looked at the ticket in his hand. "I don't think Kory would take me back after this."

"She doesn't know." Raven told him.

The intercom echoed over head. "_Calling all passengers for the five o'clock train to_ _Fort Lauderdale. Passengers boarding now." _

Raven stood up. "And she never has to."

Dick watched the spot where Raven had walked away and then down at the train ticket in his hand. _"Last call for Fort Lauderdale." _

He took a deep breath, wondering how to deal with the latest mistake. It would be so easy to just get on the train. His hand trembled. There would be no jumping the tracks this time. It was cars on a cable. There was no turning back, no rewind. Life was like an hour glass glue to the table. He had to make a final decision. He couldn't keep himself and still keep her too. Not with the way he was. He sighed to himself.

He was ready to make a decision.

* * *

_Fin. _

Well that was it. Did he marry her? I originally had planned for there to be three more chapters but after tweaking the ending a little bit... I think I'm happy with this. After two and a half years it's over. Thank you everyone who reviewed and I hope you will look for me in the future. Yes, I stole a few line from Anna Nalick deal with it. I saved my favorite quote of all time was end which was from Fight Club.

Happy New Year!!


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